The fair penitent, a tragedy.

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Horatio is an amiable and valuable character, yet hurried by the zeal of friendship into trepasses upon decorum; his intention we approve, but his manner of accosting Calista, and stigmatizing Alta|mont is very censurable; his reasoning seems cool, yet his proceedings are precipitate: Mr. QUIN was greatly admired in this part, for what we cannot say, unless mere weight and pomposity of expression were deemed a meritorious contrast to the spirited vivacity of Lothario; his person was no doubt suita|bly adapted, but a laborious formality of action of|fended the critical eye, and a monotonous cadence of voice palled the distinguishing ear—Rowe's golden lines hung heavy on his expression, and by their measured harmony, led him into most wearisome recitative of tragedy. Calista's desperation at his fall, and the irresista|ble proof of her own guilt, is a natural effect of strong passions; Altamont's immediate confession of forgiveness, shews him to have at least as much weakness as humanity; the voice of Sciolto heard from without, strikes his daughter with a fresh de|gree of confusion; upon the old man's entrance, the traces of blood alarm suspicion in him, which being confirmed by what Altamont replies, his fu|ry Maecenas. Verses occasion'd by the honours conferr'd on the Right Honourable Earl of Halifax (1714) Rowe's adaptation, premiered onstage in 1702 and first published in 1703, was a great popular success through much of the 18th century, and was praised by critics as demanding as Samuel Johnson ("There is scarcely any work of any poet so interesting by the fable and so delightful in the language").

seconds shoved them forwards very ungraciously to midwife his short reply into Lothario's hearing; this gentleman had a fine level, and deep tone of voice, but misapplied them so barbarously, that he growled with the one, and chanted with the other. As she takes the weapon, he announces that his duty as a judge is done and expresses his love for her as a father: Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference Mr. BARRY was never more mistaken than in this character, which in his representation wanted as much as a fine figure and a pleansig voice would admit; he could not be disagreeable, but was—what must he be now?—most egregiously faint and in|sipid.

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Altamont's tears touch Horatio with sympathy, and it is to be wished, that they alone had wrought the desirable effect of tenderness; as the panto|mimical stroke of falling down is utterly contempti|ble; and the two speeches occasioned by it, rather laughable: this whole scene is very inadequate to the rest of the play, and the characters are carried off with a jingling tag spoken by Lavinia, which has more sound than meaning. a b c "People Buried or Commemorated – Nicholas Rowe". Westminster Abbey. Archived from the original on 25 June 2006 . Retrieved 4 December 2018. Rowe was first married to a woman by the name of Parsons (Christian name is unknown), with whom he had a son John. His second wife was Anne Devenish, and they had a daughter named Charlotte. [3] Daniel Lysons and Samuel Lysons noted that he did not have descendants after his son died childless. [6] Works [ edit ]

manners would have taught him to decline perusal of it, as seeing the superscription—To Lothario— yet a curiosity stimulated by friendship occasions him to examine the contents, which afford a most alarming and painful discovery, not only of Ca|lista's previous but subsequent guilt, by soliciting an interview with him who has undone her, even with a man who is known as the determined foe of Al|tamont. —The soliloquy occasioned by this fatal let|ter is well suited to a man in Horatio's critical and disagreeable situation; reflection seems more to em|barrass him, and he is wrapped in the perplexity of thought when his wife appears. At the beginning of the third act it appears, that Sciolto has discovered his daughter's sullen beha|viour, and reproves it in terms of high displeasure; the simile which closes his first speech is strained, and, like most others in dramatic composition, su|perfluous; his threats are of a very serious nature, and occasion Calista to make some remarks upon the subordinate state of her sex, which her proud heart seems ill calculated to brook; Horatio ap|proaches, and intimates how critical the subject he comes upon is, therefore resolves to enter upon it in the gentlest manner; whatever justice may ap|pear in his design, we agree with Calista, that steal|ing upon her is a breach of decorum inconsistent with persons of rank. Returning to the pleasure her infant years gave him, and his forgiveness of her, are circumstances thoroughly pathetic; his parting carries the climax of tenderness as high as it can well go; the succeed|ing scene between Altamont and Calista is extreme|ly languid, and seems to have little else in view, than giving a fresh instance of that amorous weak|ness which so entirely rules the injured husband.breaking all ties of paternal tenderness aims at Calista's life, which is saved by her husband's hu|mane interposition, even contrary to her strong persuasive supplications for death at a father's hand; Sciolto's start of phrenzy being passed off, he in|dulges reflection and reproach in a truly pathetic manner; the picture Calista gives of her own re|tirement, contrition, and mournful catastrophe is extremely affecting. Nicholas Rowe ( / r oʊ/; 20 June 1674 – 6 December 1718 [2]), English dramatist, poet and miscellaneous writer, was appointed Poet Laureate in 1715. His plays and poems were well-received during his lifetime, with one of his translations described as one of the greatest productions in English poetry. He was also considered the first editor of the works of William Shakespeare. Ward, Adolphus William (1875). A History of English Dramatic Literature to the Death of Queen Anne. Vol.2. London: Macmillan and Co. p.560. married her, forward to expose her fatal weakness, and his own inhuman triumph over her unsuspect|ing virtue.