CA A TO. A TRAGEDY. By Mr. ADDISON. TH HE moral tendency of all Mr. ADDISON'S works, the strength of expreffion, the harmony of verfification, the purity of fentiment, and the aflu ence of idea, which fo eminently diftinguish his pro ductions, have ftamped great estimation on his name as an author; perhaps his independent circum ftances and station might to the obfequious or ig norant add some luftre were we to judge of the play now before us by the complimentary copies of verses which precede it, we should naturally prefume it one of the moft correct and amazing effots of genius; yet, Mr. Dennis, a bold and laboricus critic, undertook to point deficiencies in every fcene, and though his remarks wore in general the appearance of fnarling, yet many of his strictures, and thofe very fevere ones, were indifputably juft; his review, however, we have not been able to pocure a copy of, and retain but a very flight recolection of it, therefore what we offer will neither icur the cenfure due to his apparent malevolence, or ob him of any praife his ingenuity may deferve; we fhall trace the piece as we have done others, no hunt after trifling flips, nor, on account of a geat name, flip over material ones, we confefs an exated idea of the author, but will not be blind to his aults. Cato Cato. Cato commences with Portius and Marcus, the former cooly and the latter impetuously lamenting the perilous state of their father and their country, they are both furnished with observations worthy of great and patriotic minds, but Marcus diminishes much by introducing his amorous paffion when matters of so much deeper concern claim attention, and Portius difgraces his dignity by mean diffimulation; the advice he gives Marcus is worthy a philofopher, but when we confider it fprings from a defire of weaning him from the object of his own affection, it sinks under the denomination of plaufible artifice; thus the elder brother becomes lefs an object of eftimation in this scene than the younger: on the appearance of Sempronius, Marcus retires to prevent his mental agitation from being discovered. Sempronius not immediately feeing Portius, hints at a confpiracy, but goes to no point of explanation, as the youth catches his eye; under a previous profeffion of diffimulation, he speaks as a fon of Liberty, mourning her approaching fate: a fine compliment to Cato occurs, that of his virtues rendering the penurious and shattered remains of Rome's fenate awful; it is astonishing why our author should have blended fo much love with a fubject fo foreign to it, yet Sempronius mentions his paffion for Marcia, as does Juba fometime after, fo that there are four fwains employed in fighing even while Cæfar is at, and ready to ftorm their gates. Portius indeed justly mentions, that it is a moft unfavourable feafon to court his fifter, and goes off with a fpirited refolution Cato refolution of encouraging the foldiers to fulfil their duty as Romans. On his departure Sempronius, in foliloquy, gives us to understand, that he expects Syphax, a Numidian chief, to grant him affiftance in matters of mifchief; then informs us, that Cato's refufal of Marcia to his wishes rouses refentment, and thence intimates a defign of giving up Cato to Cæfar; Syphax's appearance brings this point to further explanation, the Numidian general declares his troops ready for a revolt, but at the fame time acknowledges and laments Juba's firm attachment to the virtuous Roman; Sempronius, however, urges a fresh trial to bring over that young prince. We admire Mr. ADDI SON's idea of hypocritical patriotifm, where on the principles of deception he makes Sempronius fpeak thus : I'll conceal My thoughts in paffion ('tis the fureft way) A worn-out trick-Wouldft thou be thought in earnest He goes off to cultivate a spirit of mutiny amongst the Roman foldiers, and leaves his friend to work, if poffible, upon Juba; the young prince immediately appears, and taxes Syphax with looks of gloomy coldness, defiring an explanation; the old man, in a short, blunt reply, throws a farcaftical charge on,and difclaims Roman diffimulation; this draws from Juba a liberal compliment in favour of Cate. of his allies; in return, Syphax enters into a spirited comparison of Numidian worth, but confines him. felf to martial excellence, while Juba very fenfibly contrafts the moral and focial virtues; this warms the rough impatience of the old general, who gives his expreffion such scope, that the prince is under a neceffity of giving a check, which ftomachs the veteran, and caufes him to try the pathetic, by mak ing mention of Juba's dying father; afterwards he touches upon Juba's love as the foundation of his other attachments, and paints the fuperior charms of those beauties who may be met with in his own court of Zama, but the royal youth most sensibly returns, that his regard is fixed upon internal not external merit; here Marcia and Lucia appear, which causes Syphax to retire, execrating the former, as being conscious that a fmile from her can overturn all the power of his perfuafion. The intercourse between Juba and his mistress we deem extremely infipid, the lady indeed judiciously reproves her lover's whining at fuch an interefting point of time, and fends him off to more material concerns with becoming refolution; Lucia, who feems to have fofter and lefs noble ideas than Marcia, upbraids her with giving the good-natured prince, as the oddly files him, fuch treatment: Cato's daughter, however, manifefts great good fenfe in proceeding upon the principles of felf-denial, rather than effeminate the public caufe; Lucia confeffes herself unequal to fuch fortitude, hence arifes a difcovery of her attachment to one of Marcia's broVOL. I. shers, Cats. thers, which, on enquiry, proves to be Portius; this makes Marcia commiferate and plead the cause of Marcus, Lucia confeffes great perplexity between the two lovers, which Marcia ftrives to foften by a friendly and pious obfervation, that prefent forrow under celeftial influence, may lead to future happinefs. She concludes the act with a very beautiful fimile, harmonicully, but unnaturally expreffed in rhime. A&t the fecond introduces the Roman fenate in expectation of Cato, who, after a few prefatory lines appears. In his addrefs to the fenate, he informs them with just dignity of fentiment, how affairs ftand, and obferves the neceffity, from Cæfar's near approach, of determining upon defenfive or fubmiffive measures: Sempronius, according to what he mentions in the first act, delivers himfelf with all the impetuofity of a zealot for liberty, he draws an irritative picture of paft tranfactions, and concludes with a bold figure of being called to vindictive measures by the mourning fhades of departed citizens. Cato, in return, with political, as well as philofophical moderation obferves, that impaffioned arguments and refolutions are feldom founded in rea fon, and that thofe who are intrufted with the lives of fellow fubjects, fhould avoid waste of blood, upon principles of falfe fame; the opinion of Lucius runs in a mild and pacific turn,which occafions Sempronius to drop a malevolent infinuation against him; however, Cato maintaining a juft equilibrium 3 of |