bout this Is the the not OWT e her chick in the latter. But several stories introduced for the first time in the revised version are therein left unfinished; and the defect could not be supplied from the manuscripts. Leaving, then, these stories in their incomplete condition, the Countess added to the revised portion part of the third, and the whole of the fourth and fifth books of the original draft. What we have then in the folio editions of the book is a composite work, the first half of which consists chiefly of material added by the author in the course of his revision, and the rest of the latter part of the story as it was first conceived by the author. It follows, therefore, that the whole story as we have it, incomplete though it be, is, with the possible exception of a sentence here and there, from the pen of Sir Philip Sidney alone. Nevertheless, though the Countess took few or no liberties in the way of commission, she certainly took many, as we shall see, in the way of omission. In order that the reader may have a clear idea of the manner in which the first (manuscript) draft of the 'Arcadia' differs from the printed editions, I will now give a summary account of the romance as it appears in the manuscripts. The story opens with a description of Aradia, which is under the government of Duke (not King, as in the printed versions) Basilius. He has a wife, Gynecia, and two daughters, Philoclea and Pamela. Basilius goes to Delphos to consult the oracle there. As the answer he receives is the leading motive by which the events of the story are governed, it will be best to quote it here. '1. Thyn elder care shall from thy carefull face By pryncely meane be stolln and yet not loste: In the manuscript this oracle is given in the beginning of the story; In the printed copies, though it is alluded to in the same place, it is not quoted until near the end of the second book. In the latter it differs from the manuscript version. After the first four lines, as given above, the printed text proceeds: 'Both they themselves unto such two shall wed, Who at thy beer, as at a barr shall plead, G 2 The Duke is much disturbed by this oracle, and, not reflecting that, if it were a true one, it would be useless to attempt to avert the threatened dangers, studied how to avoid them. He consults his friend and counsellor Philanax, who, in a long speech (which becomes, in the printed editions, a letter), gives him much good advice, which the Duke is not in the mood to accept. Leaving his kingdom to the care of Philanax, the Duke retires with his wife and daughter, Philoclea, to a country lodge. His other daughter, Pamela, is committed to the care of a rude shepherd, Dametas, and his wife Miso. At this time there came into Arcadia two young princes-Pyrocles, son of Evarchus, King of Macedon, and Musidorus, son of the Dowager Regent of Thessalia. These had been brought up together, and were firm friends. They took up their lodgings in a house near to the dwelling of Basilius. In this house there was a picture representing the Duke and Duchess and their daughter Philoclea. Pyrocles, at the sight of the picture, falls violently in love with Philoclea, and thereupon haunts the neighbourhood of the Duke's lodge, hoping to get a sight of her. His friend Musidorus accompanies him, not, however, knowing his object; but at last, growing weary of those country solitudes, expostulates with him. This leads to a long dialogue between them on the advantages and disadvantages of solitude. Pyrocles at last discloses the secret of his love for Philoclea, and declares his intention of disguising himself as an amazon, hoping by that means to get access to the princess. Musidorus endeavours to dissuade him from his intention, but in vain, and at last agrees to assist him in his enterprise. Pyrocles next sings a song beginning, ‘Transformed in shewe but more transformed in mynde.' This awakens the old shepherd, Dametas, who is sleeping in the neighbourhood; and he, angry at being disturbed, strikes 'Cleophila,' as Pyrocles now calls himself.* The latter In thine own seat a forrain state shall sitte; * He adopts this name because it is an anagram of Philoclea. In the printed editions the name he adopts is Zelmane. From this point onwards Sidney always speaks of Pyrocles as her.' medi Fakers neigh strike Latte at once draws 'her' sword, and so frightens the cowardly Meantime matters are further complicated by another love affair. The Duchess Gynecia, far more discerning than her husband, to whom it never occurs (in spite of many significant circumstances) that Cleophila is not what 'she' appears to be, penetrates 'her' disguise and falls passionately in love with 'her.' Philoclea too, though she does not suspect that Cleophila is not what she seems to be, is yet conscious that her feelings wards 'her' are different from any which she has yet fat towards any member of her own sex. Thus we have, in this state of affairs, the material for a highly diverting medy, though it would be hard to get over the in It has been said that Sidney had no sense of humour; and the stateI believe, has been generally accepted as true. This is not so, however he had a real sense of humour, as many passages in the Arcadia' demonstrate. His humour, it is true, like most of the humour of his period, is sometimes of a rather primitive and not too delicate character, as in his delineations of Dametas, and of his wife and daughter; but he often exhibits a quiet sense of fun, and sometimes an underlying irony, showing that he was alive to the ludicrous aspect which some of the events of his story might present to the mind of an unsympathetic reader, delicacy involved in the position of a man masquerading as a woman." At the end of the first book, in which all the above events have been related, the shepherds are assembling for one of their poetical contests, when a lion and a bear suddenly appear upon the scene, the lion making for Philoclea and the bear for Pamela. Needless to say the beasts are encountered and despatched by Pyrocles and Musidorus, their brave conduct being made to 'stick fieryoff' indeed by comparison with the cowardice exhibited by the poetical shepherds.† From the foregoing summary of the contents of the first book of the romance the reader will easily imagine of what elements it is composed throughout; and therefore it will not be necessary for me to tell the rest of the story in so much detail. The remaining four books are occupied with the consequences which followed from the events which I have related. The chief theme of the work is the perplexities of the various lovers and the methods which they take to attain their objects. Though both Philoclea and Pamela are closely watched by their guardians, their lovers at length find means to declare their passions and to acquaint them with their real rank and quality. Philoclea is overjoyed at the discovery that 'Cleophila' is a man, and is very willing to elope with him. Pamela does not display so much readiness as her sister, at first because of her lover's apparent lowliness of condition, and afterwards because she has some doubts as to whether he is really what he represents himself to be; but she, too, consents to elope with Musidorus. At this point of the story a diversion is suddenly created by a rebellious outburst on the part of some of Duke Basilius' subjects. These attack Pyrocles, Gynecia, and Philoclea as they are returning to the Duke's lodge; *I do not think that in the whole range of our drama there is a single instance (except in mere farces or burlesques) in which the personation of a woman by a man has been made to seem plausible or even possible; though the instances are very numerous in which the personation of a man by a woman has been accepted as at any rate probable enough for stage purposes. In real life the cases are probably about equally rare of men passing undetected as women as of women personating men. In the printed editions of the romance the irruption of the beasts is attributed to the malice of Queen Cecropia, who plays an important part in the revised version, but is not mentioned in the manuscripts. and it is only by the valour of Pyrocles that they are enabled to reach it. Here they are joined by Musidorus, Philisides (under which name the author introduces himself into the story), and other shepherds, who are, however, too few in numbers to beat off the assailants. The rebels are about to set fire to the lodge when, as a last resource, Pyrocles (still disguised at Cleophila) issues forth and makes a speech to them. His eloquence has such an effect that the tide of feeling amongst the rebels is turned, and they become (excepting a few of the ringleaders) as much in favour of the Duke as they were previously opposed to him.* The rebellion being thus quelled, and the rebels (saving a few of them who become outlaws) returning to their al occupations, the story resumes its course. Before Masidorus can find an opportunity to elope with Pamela, her guardians, Dametas, Miso, and Mopsa, must be got out of the way for a time. By playing upon their several passions of avarice, jealousy, and desire of marriage, Musidorus succeeds in sending them off on various wildgoose chases, and elopes with his mistress, after making a vow to her that he will respect her chastity until the time when they can be properly married. Meanwhile Pyrocles, courted at once by Basilius and Gynecia, manages, by promising each of them an assignation at a certain cave, to bring them together there at midnight, so that the Duke, thinking he is embracing Cleophila, becomes instrumental in fulfilling the third section of the oracle. In the morning, however, he discovers his mistake, of course very much to his confusion. (Curiously ferent; I do not think it has ever before been remarked that this scene bears pat resemblance to the forum scene in Julius Cæsar.' It seems to me in that Shakespeare must have had it in his mind when he wrote the scene. Of course the circumstances of the two scenes are very but the essential point in both is that the mob is represented as being so much influenced by one speaker's eloquence as to be quite turned de from its original purpose. Pyrocles plays hardly less dexterously on the passions of the rebels than Antony does upon those of the Roman mob. It is noteworthy that, while Antony speaks from the pulpit of the form, Pyrocles addresses the rebels from the Duke's judgment-seat. It is further remarkable that Sidney anticipates Shakespeare in the way in which he describes the doings of the many-headed multitude,' as he calls them. To Sidney, as to Shakespeare, the common people are a mass of ninstructed, fickle, foolish, and violently destructive creatures, at the mercy of every plausible intriguer and of every gust of passion, |