University of Virginia Library

An unknown ingenious Friend did me the Honour of the following Introduction to the London Edition of this Masque; and being a Poet, my Vanity will be pardoned for incerting of it here.

“The present Poem being a Revival of a good old Form of Poetry in high Repute with us, it may not be amiss to say something of a Diversion once so agreeable, and so long interrupted, or disused. The Original of Masques seems to be an Imitation of the Interludes of the Ancients, presented on Occasion of some Ceremony performed in a great and noble Family. The Actors in this Kind of Half-Dramatic Poetry have formerly been even Kings, Princes, and the first Personages of the Kingdom; and in private Families, the noblest and nearest Branches. The Machinery was of the greatest Magnificence; very shewy, costly, and not uncommonly contrived by the ablest Architects, as well as the best Poets. Thus we see in Ben. Johnson the Name of Inigo Jones, and the same in Carew; whether as the Modeller only, or as Poet in Conjunction with them, seems to be doubtful, there being nothing of our English Vitruvius left (that I know of) that places him in the Class of Writers. These Shews we trace backwards as far as Henry VIII, from thence to Q. Elizabeth, and her Successor K. James, who was both a great Encourager and Admirer of them. The last Masque, and the best ever written, was that of Milton, presented at Ludlow Castle, in the Praise of which no Words can be too many: And I remember to have heard the late excellent Mr Addison agree with me in that Opinion. Coronations, Princely Nuptials, Public Feasts, the Entertainment of foreign Quality, were the usual Occasions of this Performance, and the best Poet of the Age was courted to be the Author. Mr. Ramsay has made a noble and successful Attempt to revive this kind of Poesy, on a late celebrated Account, And tho' he is often to be admired in all his Writings, yet, I think, never more than in his present Composition. A particular Friend gave it a Second Edition in England, which, I fancy, the Public will agree that it deserved.”