ese types becomes more life-like as he
proceeds, and if the puppets that he left to his successors were not yet
human, they had learnt to walk the stage without that angularity of
movement and jerkiness of speech which betray the machine.

Departing for a moment from the strictly chronological order, and
leaving _Gallathea_ for later treatment, we pass on to _Endymion_, the
second of the allegorical dramas, and, without doubt, the boldest in
conception and the most beautiful in execution of all Lyly's plays. The
story is founded upon the classical fable of Diana's kiss to the
sleeping boy, but its arrangement and development are for the most part
of Lyly's invention: indeed, he was obliged to frame it in accordance
with the facts which he sought to allegorize. All critics are agreed in
identifying Cynthia with Elizabeth and Endymion with Leicester, but they
part company upon the interpretation of the play as a whole. The story
is briefly as follows. Endymion, forsaking his former love Tellus,
contracts an ardent passion for Cynthia, who, in accordance with her
character as moon-goddess, meets his advances with coolness. Tellus
determines to be revenged, and, by the aid of a sorceress Dipsas, sends
the youth into a deep sleep from which no one can awaken him. Cynthia
learns what has befallen, and although she does not suspect Tellus, she
orders the latter to be shut up in a castle for speaking maliciously of
Endymion. She then sends Eumenides, the young man's great friend, to
seek out a remedy. This man is deeply in love with Semele, who scorns
his passion, and therefore, when he reaches a magic fountain which will
answer any question put to it, he is so absorbed with his own troubles
as almost to forget those of his friend. A carefully thought-out piece
of writing follows, for he debates with himself whether to use his one
question for an enquiry about his love or his sleeping friend.
Friendship and duty conquer at length, and, looking into the well, he
discovers that the remedy for Endymion's sickness is a kiss from
Cynthia's lips. He returns with his message, the kiss is given,
Endymion, grown old after 40 years' sleep, is restored to youth, the
treachery of Tellus is discovered and eventually forgiven, and the play
ends amid a peal of marriage bells. Endymion, however, is left
unmarried, knowing as he does that lowly and distant worship is all he
can be allowed to offer the virgin goddess. The play, of course, has a