Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/179

Rh ſoon followed her, had not his thoughts been ſeaſonably called off from ſo fad an object, by public ſtorms, which at that time very nearly threatened him.’

Mr. Fenton in the conduct of this deſign, has ſhewn himſelf a very great maſter of ſtage propriety. He has ſoftened the character of Herod, well knowing that ſo cruel a tyrant as the ſtory makes him, could not be born upon the Engliſh ſtage. He has altered the character of Sohemus, from an honeſt confident, to a crafty enterpriſing ſtateſman, who to raiſe his maſter to the throne of Judea, murthered the natural heir. He has introduced in his drama, a character under the name of Salome, the king’s ſiſter, who bore an implacable hatred to Mariamne; and who in league with Sohemus purſues her revenge, at no leſs a price than that of her brother’s and the queen’s life.

After the wars, which had ſubſiſted between Cæſar and Anthony, had ſubſided, and the world fell to the ſhare of the former; Herod is repreſented as having juſt returned from Rome, where, as an hoſtage to the emperor, he has ſtipulated to ſend his younger ſon there, and Flaminius, a noble Roman accompanies him into Jewry, to carry off the young prince. The day in which this dramatic action begins, is upon a grand feſtival, appointed in honour of Herod’s ſafe return from Rome, and being ſtill permitted to enjoy his kingdom. The hard condition of ſending the prince to Rome, greatly affects the heart of the queen, whom the poet has drawn a moſt tender mother. This throws a cloud over the ceremony, and furniſhes an opportunity for Sohemus and Salome, to ſet their infernal engines at work; who, in conjunction with Sameas the king’s cup bearer, contrive to poiſon the king and queen at the feaſt. But the poiſoned cup is firſt taſted by Hazeroth, a young lord