Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work Now enter, and begin to fave mankind. Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung Victor, and from Heav'nly Feast refresht Brought on his way with joy; he unobferv'd Home to his Mother's house private return'd, 635 THE END. Samson Agonistes, A Dramatick Poem. The AUTHOR Ariftot. Poet. Cap. 6. Τραγωδία μίμησις πράξεως σπουδαίας, &c. Tragoedia eft imitatio actionis feriæ, &c. Per mifericordiam & metum perficiens talium affectuum luftrationem. (89) Of that fort of Dramatick Poem which is call'd Tragedy. T RAGEDY, as it was anciently compos'd, hath been ever held the graveft, moralleft, and most profitable of all other Poems: therefore faid by Ariftotle to be of power, by raifing pity and fear, or terror, to purge the mind of thofe and fuch like paffions, that is, to temper and reduce them to just measure with a kind of delight, ftirr'd up by reading or feeing thofe Paffions well imitated. Nor is Nature wanting in her own effects to make good his affertion for fo in Phyfick things of melancholick hue and quality are us'd against melancholy, fowr against fowr, falt to remove falt humours. Hence Philofophers and other graveft Writers, as Cicero, Plutarch and others, frequently cite out of Tragick Poets, both to adorn and illuftrate their difcourfe. The Apoftle St. Paul himself thought it not unworthy to infert a verse of Euripides into the Text of Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. 15. 33. and Pareus commenting on the Revelation, divides the whole Book as a Tragedy, into Acts distinguish'd each by a Chorus of Heavenly Harpings, and Song between, between. Heretofore Men in highest dignity have labour'd not a little to be thought able to compofe a Tragedy. Of that honour Dionyfius the elder was no lefs ambitious, than before of his attaining to the Tyranny. Auguftus Cæfar alfo had begun, his Ajax, but unable to please his own judgment with what he had begun, left it unfinifht. Seneca the Philofopher is by fome thought the Author of those Tragedies (at least the best of them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen, a Father of the Church, thought it not unbefeeming the fanctity of his Perfon to write a Tragedy, which is intitl'd, Chrift fuffering. This is mention'd to vindicate Tragedy from the fmall efteem, or rather infamy, which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common interludes hap'ning through the Poets error of intermixing Comick ftuff with Tragick fadnefs and gravity; or introducing trivial and vulgar perfons, which by all judicious hath been counted abfurd; and brought in without difcretion, corruptly to gratifie the people. And though ancient Tragedy ufe no Prologue, yet ufing fometimes, in cafe of felf-defence, or explanation, that which Martial calls an Epiftle; in behalf of this Tragedy. coming forth after the ancient manner, much different from what among us paffes for beft, thus much before-hand may be Epiftl'd; that Chorus is here introduc'd after the Greek manner, not ancient only but modern, and fill in ufe among the Italians. In the modelling therefore of this Poem, with good reafon, the Ancients and Italians are rather follow'd, as of much more Authority and Fame. The meafure of Verfe us'd in the Chorus is of all forts, call'd |