New-York tribune., 1907-08-03
1fIITON As DRAM4IIST.
The One Hundred Pieces, Sacred and
Profane, He Proposed to Wnte.
From The Dundee Advertiser.

Despite the extensive literature that has
grown up around the name of Milton, there IS
topic that has hitherto been neglected. ouC
which might we'll attract commentators. since 50
patriotic a Scot Professor Mason has al
tained the rank of being chief authority upon
Milton II was maintained long ago by Warton
that Milton early had the idea of drarnatizlIlS
ScrfpturaI subjects. The proof Of this Is al
forded by n manuscript in his own writing, no"
preserved at Trinity College. Cambridge Here
Milton had drawn up q list OF sacred dramas
that he contemplated writing. which extend from
the period OF the food till the ascension or
Christ making sixty two dramas, some OF them
definitely outlined. But Milton did not intend
10 coufiue himself TO sacred subjects The list
IS carried till it makes UP one hundred topics.
from sixty-three to ninety-fve being incidents
in British history during the time or the anglo
Saxous and the Normans. and from ntnety-six
to one hundred being described as Scotch
Stories, or rather British of the NCrth Parts.
These Scottish subjects are worthy OF notice
Evidently Millions study Of ShalIespeares
works had taught him to look for themes in
HoIinshed's Chronicles, and in most OF the en-
tries he has outlined the form which the pro-
Jected drama would take and has written the
references from the Chronicles OF the Scriptu-
raj subjects Milton only completed the Samson
Agonistes" which remains Of the great
items in English literature. II is worthy OF
notice that the "Baptistes. OF which Milton
f0reShadUWed in his manuscript an elaborate
plan. has recently been credibly shown TO be
translation by Milton OF tho poem bearing this
title written in Latin by George Buchanan. The
British Tragedies which Milton had IN view.
and for which he quotes references 20 TfOlinshed,
stow ana speed, were never begun by him,
least. have not yet been identified. Millions
plans for the Scotch Stories" formulated IN
his manuscript. are as follows:
NCVI Althrco slain by Natholochus. whose
daughters he had r1yiSh-. and this Nj lEC to-
chus. UsurVlrg thereon the kingdom. seeks to
sity the kindred OF AIthiTCO. who escape him
ana CUuspire against him He sends witch
know the event The witch tells the messenger
tuat le is the that shall sIay NathOlOchus.
his Iaind. and performs il Scotch Chron- Eng
XCVII. DufTe and DonvaId. a strange story OF
wtchCraft and murder discovered and aveng'd.
Scotch story. l49. &c
XCEIII Hale. the plouEhman, who. with his two
sons that We're ~ plough running 70 the battle
that was between the Scots and Danes in the
next field. stad the flight OF his country men,
ncw'd the bajteU and Caus'd the viCtOrie. &c
Scotch story. 7. l55. &c
XCIX. Kenneth. who. having privily posnd NAL
colme Dufre that his own son might succeed. IS
slain by Fenclla Scotch Hist. p. I57. 15S, &c.
C Macbeth. BE ming the arrival Of NAL
colin NJ Nackdune- The matter OF Duncan
may be cXpresst oy the appearing OF his ghost
The first subjects in this list not ia
miiar as the last three. The story OF Hay. the
known, and the motto of that family. "Serva
JueuuI'-''Pre the yoke"-is supposed to refer
TO the plough yokes with which Hay and his sons
turned the tide Of battle The legend Of Fenela Is
intimately associated with Meigle. From the plan
ii appears that Milton intended 10 begin his story
with Act " of ShlkoSpeares tragedy. and To make
Malcolm a witness OF the murder of Macdufr's fam
ily instead Of merely hearing the sad tale in Eng
land from Ross. as Shakespeare has arranged the
story. Whether Milton could ever have dealt ade-
quatey with the Scottish subjects may be doubted.
hut at he could appreciate their value as
tragedies fitted TO purge the soul with fear and
terror"