once; for the play, I remember, pleased not the
million; 'twas caviare to the general: but it was—
as I received it, and others, whose judgments in
such matters cried in the top of mine—an ex-
cellent play, well digested in the scenes, set down
with as much modesty as cunning. I remember
one said there were no sallets in the lines to
make the matter savoury, nor no matter in the
phrase that might indict the author of affecta-
tion; but called it an honest method, [as whole-
some as sweet, and by very much more handsome
than fine.] One speech in it I chiefly loved; 'twas
Æneas' tale to Dido; and thereabout of it espe-
cially, where he speaks of Priam's slaughter.
If it live in your memory, begin at this line:
let me see, let me see:— 480
"The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast,—"
'Tis not so, it begins with Pyrrhus:—
"The rugged Pyrrhus, he, whose sable arms,
Black as his purpose, did the night resemble
When he lay couched in the ominous horse, 485
Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd
With heraldry more dismal; head to foot
Now is he total gules; horridly trick'd 488
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons,
Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets,
That lend a tyrannous and damned light
To their vile murders: roasted in wrath and fire, 492
466 caviare . . . general; cf. n.
468 cried in the top of: spoke with a louder voice of authority than
469 digested: arranged; cf. n.
470 modesty: without exaggeration, moderation
cunning: skill in technique
471 sallets . . . savoury; cf. n.
473 indict: convict
475 handsome; cf. n.
476 fine: elaborately fashioned
477 Æneas' tale to Dido; cf. n.
481 Hyrcanian; cf. n.
485 ominous horse; cf. n.
488 gules: red
trick'd: spotted
490 impasted: made into a paste
