Comedy which nobody ever faw;" and obferves, "that even fome Italian literati declared that no fuch author [as Andreini] was known in Italy." Dr. Johnson also, in his Life of Milton, calls Voltaire's relation " a wild, unauthorised, ftory."

That Milton had conceived, in his younger days, as Dr. Warburton has obferved, the notion of an epick poem on the ftory of Arthur, is evident from his own words in the Mansus, v. 80, &c. and the Epitaphium Damonis, v. 155, &c: Where fee the Notes, vol. vi. p. 357, and p. 373. Mr. Hayley, with his ufual acuteness and elegance of language, remarks that" it seems very probable that Milton, in his collection of Italian books, had brought the Adamo of Andreini to England; and that the perufal of an author, wild indeed, and abounding in grotesque extravagance; yet now and then shining with pure and united rays of fancy and devotion, first gave a new bias to the imagination of the English poet, or, to use the expreffive phrase of Voltaire, first revealed to him the hidden majefty of the Subject. The apoftate angels of Andreini, though fometimes hideously and abfurdly disgusting, yet occafionally sparkle with fuch fire as might awaken the emulation of Milton."

The English reader is indebted to Mr. Hayley for the following analysis of the arguments of each act and scene in the Adamo,

"THE CHARACTERS.

"GOD the FATHER.

"CHORUS of SERAPHIM, CHERUBIM, and ANGELS.

"The archangel MICHAEL.

"ADAM.

"EVE.

"A CHERUB, the guardian of ADAM.

"LUCIFER.

"SATAN.

"BEELZEBUB.

"The SEVEN mortal SINS.

"The WORLD.

"The FLESH.

"FAMINE.

"LABOUR.

"DESPAIR.

"DEATH.

"VAIN GLORY.

"SERPENT.

"VOLANO, an infernal meffenger.

"CHORUS of PHANTOMS.

"CHORUS of fiery, airy, aquatick, and infernal "SPIRITS."

ACT I. SCENE I. "Chorus of Angels, finging the glory of God. After their hymn, which ferves as a prologue, God the Father, Angels, Adam and Eve.-God calls to Lucifer, and bids him furvey with confufion the wonders of his power. He creates Adam and Eve-their delight and gratitude.

SCENE 2. "Lucifer, arifing from Hell-he expresses his enmity against God, the good Angels, and Man.

SCENE 3." Lucifer, Satan, and Beelzebub.-Lucifer excites his affociates to the deftruction of Man, and calls other Demons from the abyss to confpire for that purpose.

SCENES 4, 5, and 6. "Lucifer, fummoning seven distinct Spirits, commiffions them to act under the character of the feven mortal Sins, with the following names:

ACT II. SCENE 1. "The Angels, to the number of fifteen, feparately fing the grandeur of God, and his munificence to Man.

SCENE 2." Adam and Eve, with Lurcone and Guliar watching unfeen.-Adam and Eve express their devotion to God fo fervently, that the evil Spirits, though invisible, are put to flight by their prayer.

SCENE 3. "The Serpent, Satan, Spirits.-The Serpent, or Lucifer, announces his defign of circumventing Woman. SCENE 4. "The Serpent, Spirits, and Volano.-Volano arrives from Hell, and declares that the confederate Powers of the abyss defigned to fend a goddess from the deep, entitled Vain Glory, to vanquish Man.

SCENE 5. "Vain Glory, drawn by a giant, Volano, the Serpent, Satan, and Spirits.-The Serpent welcomes Vain Glory as his confederate, then hides himself in the tree to watch and tempt Eve.

SCENE 6. The Serpent and Vain Glory at first concealed; the Serpent difcovers himself to Eve, tempts and seduces her.-Vain Glory clofes the Act with expreffions of triumph.

ACT III. SCENE 1. "Adam and Eve.-After a dialogue of tenderness the produces the fruit.-Adam expreffes horrour, but at last yields to her temptation.-When both have tafted the fruit, they are overwhelmed with remorfe and terrour; they fly to conceal themfelves.

SCENE 2. "Volano proclaims the Fall of Man, and invites the Powers of darkness to rejoice, and pay their homage

to the Prince of Hell.

SCENE 3. Volano, Satan, chorus of Spirits, with enfigns of victory.-Expreffion of their joy.

SCENE 4. "Serpent, Vain Glory, Satan, and Spirits.The Serpent commands Canoro, a mufical Spirit, to sing his triumph, which is celebrated with fongs and dances in the 4th and 5th fcenes; the latter clofes with expreffions of horrour from the triumphant Demons, on the approach of God.

SCENE 6. "God the Father, Angels, Adam and Eve.God fummons and rebukes the finners, then leaves them, after pronouncing his malediction.

SCENE 7. "An Angel, Adam and Eve.-The Angel gives them rough fkins for clothing, and exhorts them to penitence.

SCENE 8. The Archangel Michael, Adam and Eve.→→ Michael drives them from Paradife with a fcourge of fire. Angels close the Act with a chorus, exciting the offenders to hope in repentance.

ACT. IV. SCENE I. "Volano, chorus of fiery, airy, earthly, and aquatick Spirits.-They exprefs their obedience to Lucifer.

SCENE 2. Lucifer rifes, and utters his abhorrence of the light; the Demons confole him-he questions them on the meaning of God's words and conduct towards Man-He fpurns their conjectures, and announces the incarnation, then proceeds to new machinations against Man.

SCENE 3. "Infernal Cyclops, fummoned by Lucifer, make a new world at his command,-He then commiffions three Demons against Man, under the characters of the World, the Flesh, and Death.

SCENE 4. Adam alone.-He laments his fate, and at laft feels his fufferings aggravated, in beholding Eve flying in terrour from the hoftile animals.

SCENE 5." Adam and Eve.-She excites her companion to fuicide.

SCENE 6. "Famine, Thirst, Laffitude, Defpair, Adam and Eve.-Famine explains her own nature, and that of her associates.

SCENE 7. "Death, Adam and Eve.-Death reproaches Eve with the horrours fhe has occafioned-Adam clofes the Act by exhorting Eve to take refuge in the moun

tains.

ACT V. SCENE 1. "The Flefh, in the fhape of a woman; and Adam.-He refifts her temptation.

SCENE 2. "Lucifer, the Flefh, and Adam.-Lucifer pretends to be a man, and the elder brother of Adam.

SCENE 3. "A Cherub, Adam, the Flesh, and Lucifer.-. The Cherub fecretly warns Adam against his foes; and at laft defends him with manifeft power.

SCENE 4. "The World, in the fhape of a man, exulting in his own finery.

SCENE 5." Eve and the World.-He calls forth a rich palace from the ground, and tempts Eve with splendour.

SCENE 6. "Chorus of Nymphs, Eve, the World, and Adam. He exhorts Eve to refift thefe allurements-the World calls the Demons from Hell to enchain his victimsEve prays for mercy: Adam encourages her.

SCENE 7.

Lucifer, Death, chorus of Demons.-They prepare to feize Adam and Eve.

SCENE 8. "The Archangel Michael, with a chorus of good Angels.-After a fpirited altercation, Michael fubdues and triumphs over Lucifer.

SCENE 9. Adam, Eve, chorus of Angels.-They rejoice in the victory of Michael: he animates the offenders with a promise of favour from God, and future refidence in Heaven-they exprefs their hope and gratitude.—The Angels clofe the drama, by finging the praife of the Redeemer."