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Amphitryon or rather the Joseph of this new version of an old tale was 'surpriz'd upon his Wedding-day, and separated from her'—his virgin bride—'by her Father': so that when on his return he finds himself supplanted or anticipated by the intervention of a 'Jupiter-Scapin,' who has won his way to the heart of his Alcmena by means no less energetic than ingenious, he is able as well as ready to resign her to a rival so deserving, on the ground that 'he has been above seven years away beyond Sea, and has never Writ her word he was alive; so that in Law the Marriage is void.' And thus is Morality reconciled with the Comic Muse; surely to the no small comfort of the moral reader, who on his way towards this desirable consummation will have come across too many 'a little piece of sculduddery, which after all' (as Nanty Ewart well puts it) 'does nobody any harm,' and means none; which unhappily is more than can be said for all Dryden's own writings. The rude honest humour of the main action is quite unlike the heavy weary movement of his joyless and shameless, witless and thankless labours in the comic line. But here if anywhere is surely something of the noble grace and simple strength of his more firm and serious manner, effective and serviceable always, even when most hasty, crude, and conventional in details of expression.
Alcmena, be it understood, has just detected the false Amphitryon by the difference of his voice from that of her long since vagabond bridegroom.
That I could wish one Sense a Traytor to me,
For all things else conspire in your reception;
But this old trusty servant, the Sense of Hearing
Evinces plainly you are not the man.
Haz. That Servant you call Trusty, is a Traytor,
Or an o're-diligent officious Servant,
Whose care creates imaginary difficulties
And dangers, where the path is safe, and easie.
Please to consult the Steward of your Soul,
And Ruler of your Senses, Your wise Reason.