spice or two of Virgil, and if there remain any overplus, you may lay Season it well with similes, and it will make

them by for a skirmish. an excellent battle."

192 Refuse of swords, Anglo-Saxon wapna láf.

and gleanings of a fight: This suggests the Addison, however, was probably following

Virgil's reliquias Danaum (Æn., i, 30).

197 ff. To Donawert, etc. : "The Elector of Bavaria was no sooner inform'd of the Defeat of his Troops at Schellenberg, than he quitted his advantageous Camp between Dillengen and Lawingen, and came to the other side of the Danube, over against Donawert in his march to the River Lech, to prevent the Confederates cutting off his Retreat to his own Country. The same Night he sent Orders to his Garrison at Donawert to set fire to the Town, to burn their Bridges and Magazines, and then to retire, for which end they had put Straw in every House; but the Confederates being advanced into the Suburbs, and laying their Bridge to pass into the Town, the Garrison durst not stay, for fear of having their Retreat cut off, and preferr'd their own Safety before the execution of their Orders: whereby the Townsmen saved their Houses. The Enemy burnt only their Bridges, and some Magazines, and retired in great hast early the next day [July 4]; and at the same time the Confederates enter'd the Town without any opposition, and found in it 2000 Sacks of Meal, and great store of Oats, and all sorts of Provision and Ammunition, which the Enemy had not time to destroy." (Annals, III, 61.)

243 Gallia's proud standards, to Bavaria's join'd: On August 4 the Elector of Bavaria was joined by Tallard.

287-292 The storm: On the great storm of November, 1703, see Defoe, The Layman's Sermon upon the Late Storm, London, 1704; also The Storm: or, a Collection of the Most Remarkable Casualties and Disasters, which happened in the late Dreadful Tempest, both by Sea and Land, London, 1704. Evelyn notes (26-27 November, 1703): "The effects of the hurricane and tempest of wind, rain and lightning thro' all the nation, especially London, were very dismal. Many houses demolish'd and people kill'd. As to my own losses, the subversion of woods and timber, both ornamental and valuable through my whole estate, and about my house the woods crowning the garden mount, and growing along the park meadow, the damage to my own dwelling, farms and outhouses, is almost tragical, not to be parallel'd with any thing happening in our age. I am not able to describe it, but submit to the pleasure of Almighty God."

298 Laughs at the shaking of the British spear: cf. Job xli. 29.

309 Dormer: The Annals of Queen Anne (III, Appendix, p. 21) mentions two officers of this name: Colonel Philip Dormer and Captain James Dormer, both of the Battalion of Guards. The former, who is meant here, was killed; the latter was wounded.

...

327-334 From Blenheim's tow'rs the Gaul . . . His waving banners The hardy veteran with tears resigns: "The French Horse being entirely defeated, and our Troops Masters of all the Ground, which was between the Enemies Left, and the Village of Bleinheim, the 28 Battalions, and 12 Squadrons of Dragoons which were in that Village, found themselves cut off from the rest of their Army; And despairing of being able to make their Escape, after a weak Attempt to repulse our whole Infantry that surrounded the Village, they capitulated at last about 8 of the Clock; laid down their Arms; deliver'd their Colours and Standards; and surrendred themselves Prisoners of War." (Annals, III, 80.) Some accounts make them tear up or burn the colors and bury their arms. (See Alison's Marlborough, New York, 1868, p. 98, and the references in his footnote.)

335 ff. Unfortunate Tallard: The Duc de Tallard (Camille d'Hostun), Marshal of France, had command of the right wing of the French, opposite the Duke of Marlborough. The Marquis de la Beaulme, only son of Tallard, was severely wounded, and died a few days after the battle.

....

...

361-364 From Memminghen's high domes, and Augsburg's walls, etc. : "Nor was it long before the Duke's, and Prince Eugene's Opinion [i.e. "that it would be . . . advantageous . . to join all the Forces, to streighten the Enemy more and more, and to oblige the French to quit Germany, and repass the Rhine "] was confirm'd, by the Example of the City of Ausberg, which the French,..., quitted the 16th of August, The Magistrates being Assembled immediately after, sent 4 Deputies to wait on the Duke of Marlborough, and desire his Protection.... The same morning [August 19]..., a Deputy from the City of Memmingen waited on his Grace to desire his Protection." (Annals, III, 89.) "On the 22d the Governor of Ulm, who did justly apprehend a Siege, sent out of the Town 430 Prisoners, which the Enemy had taken at Hochstet, . . . and other Places, with a Compliment to the Duke of Marlborough, That he would be pleased to take a fitting opportunity, to return an equal number; but those Prisoners being Germans, his Grace sent them to Prince Eugene. The Electors made some Overtures to deliver not only Ulm, but the whole Electorate of Bavaria, upon certain conditions." (Annals, III, 90.) Ulm finally surrendered on the 11th of September.

...

383 A mighty bulwark: Landau.

407 Austria's young monarch: Joseph I, son of Leopold, joined the army before Landau.

421-424 Thus the great father, etc.: Æneid, i, 588 ff.

437 ff. Treves, Traerbach: At Marlborough's approach the French garrison abandoned Trèves. On November 3 "his Grace went . . . to the rising Grounds near Traerbach, to take a narrow View of the Place, and review'd the Dutch, which were lately arriv'd in the Neighbourhood from the Maese; and having given the necessary Directions for the Siege of Traerbach, the Care whereof was committed to the Prince of Hesse Cassel, his Grace set out the next Day early on his return to the Camp at Weissemburg." (Annals, III, 112.) The siege was carried on by the Prince of Hesse during the absence of Marlborough, who had left on December 12 for The Hague. Traerbach surrendered on the 20th. Lines 440-442 are therefore perfunctory and rather less than half true. 455 Th' unfetter'd Ister's states are free: Bavaria. The Hister, or Ister, of Latin writers is the lower Danube.

476 And those who paint 'em truest praise 'em most: Upon this line Pope seems to have modelled his "He best can paint 'em who shall feel 'em most." (Pope, Eloisa to Abelard, 1. 366.)

CATO

Tickell writes: "The Tragedy of CATO appeared in public in the year 1713; when the greater part of the last Act was added by the Author, to the foregoing which he had kept by him for many years. He took up a design of writing a play upon this subject, when he was very young at the University; and even attempted something in it there, though not a line as it now stands. The work was performed by him in his travels, and retouched in England, without any formed resolution of bringing it upon the Stage, until his friends of the first Quality and Distinction prevailed on him, to put the last finishing to it, at a time when they thought the Doctrine of Liberty very seasonable." (Preface to ed. 1721, pp. xiii-xiv.)

Steele comments upon this part of Tickell's preface as follows: "Mr. TICKELL's account of its being taken up, laid down, and at last perfected, after such long intervals and pauses, would make any one believe, who did not know Mr. ADDISON, that it was accomplished with the greatest pain and labour; and the issue rather of Learning and Industry than Capacity and Genius: but I do assure you, that never Play which could bring the author any reputation for Wit and

Conduct, notwithstanding it was so long before it was finished, employed the Author so little time in writing.

"If I remember right, the Fifth Act was written in less than a week's time! For this was particular in this Writer, that when he had taken his resolution, or made his Plan for what he designed to write; he would walk about the room and dictate it into Language, with as much freedom and ease as any one could write it down and attend to the Coherence and Grammar of what he dictated." (Dedication to The Drummer, ed. 1722; reprinted in Arber's English Garner, VI, 534-535.) That the political interpretations of Cato were forced appears from the following letter from Gay to Johnson, April 23, 1713: "Cato affords universal discourse, and is received with universal applause: My Lord Oxford, Lord Chancellor, and Speaker of the House of Commons, have bespoke the box on the stage for next Saturday. The character of Cato is a man of strict virtue, and a lover of his country. The audience several nights clapped some particular passages, which they thought reflected on the Tories. Some passages in the prologue were

strained that way; viz.

Here tears shall flow from a more generous cause;
Such tears as Patriots shed for dying laws:

never failed of raising a loud clap; but you see that the Ministry are so far from thinking it touches them, that the Treasurer and Chancellor will honour the play with their presence." (See Nichols, Literary Anecdotes, VI, 84.)

The first four acts of Cato may be summarized as follows:

Act I. In the first scene, Portius and Marcus lament the increasing power of Cæsar, and compare his "impious greatness" with Cato's helpless but splendidly virtuous position. Portius is the more composed: he encourages Marcus with bits of their father's philosophy. Marcus refuses to be comforted:

Passion unpity'd, and successless love,
Plant daggers in my heart, and aggravate
My other griefs. Were but my Lucia kind!

Portius, concealing the fact that he also loves Lucia, advises Marcus to guard his heart on this weak side. He reminds Marcus that Juba, who is in love with their sister Marcia, loves war and honor more. Marcus, at first angry, presently begs his brother to

Pardon a weak, distempered soul, that swells
With sudden gusts, and sinks as soon in calm.

Sempronius, in the next scene, feigns cordiality, praising Cato's virtue, but lamenting that Cato's daughter is not propitious. Portius sternly checks him for speaking of love at such a time.

Syphax reports that the Numidian soldiers are ready to revolt. Sempronius urges haste, and plots with Syphax to win over Juba, who seems inclined to join with Cato. Syphax advises Juba to abandon Cato. He is making some progress when Marcia enters.

Juba greet Marcia ardently. She replies impersonally and with dignity. Juba begs that she will wish him well in battle. She replies:

My prayers and wishes always shall attend
The friends of Rome, the glorious cause of virtue,
And men approved of by the gods and Cato.

Juba hastens to his troops.

Alone with Lucia, Marcia admits her love for Juba, but resolves not to entertain thoughts of love while Cato's life is in danger. Lucia wishes that she had this firmness of purpose. It presently appears that Lucia, although she holds both the sons of Cato high in her esteem, loves Portius for his "complacency, and truth, and manly sweetness."

Act II. Cato addresses the Senators, asking if they are still for war. Sempronius is passionately for war, Lucius weakly counsels peace. Cato dislikes the tone of both speeches:

Decius, a herald from Cæsar's camp, urges Cato to make peace with Cæsar. Upon Cato's reply that he is unwilling to think of life upon such conditions, Decius bids Cato name his terms.

Bid him disband his legions,

Restore the commonwealth to liberty,
Submit his actions to the public censure,

And stand the judgment of a Roman senate.

Cato answers:

Decius reminds Cato that he no longer has all Rome to second him.

Cato replies:

Let him consider that, who drives us hither:

'Tis Cæsar's sword has made Rome's senate little,
And thinned its ranks. Alas! thy dazzled eye

Beholds this man in a false, glaring light,

Which conquest and success have thrown upon him;

Didst thou but view him right, thou 'dst see him black