quick to see that this so-called particular theme was still a great deal
too general, leaving only the broadest outlines available for characters
and incidents. By omitting the stages of childhood and early manhood
they could plunge at once into the last stage, where, beneath the shadow
of imminent destiny, every action had an intensified interest. Moreover,
within such narrowed boundaries each incident could be painted in
detail, each character finished off with more realistic traits. It was
doubtless under such promptings that the original Dutch _Everyman_ was
written, and the alacrity with which it was translated and adopted among
English Moralities shows that its principle was welcomed as an artistic
advance. An almost imperceptible step led straight from the _Everyman_
type of Morality to the Interludes.

Before tracing further changes, however, it might be well to have before
us a more definite notion of the contents of _The Castell of
Perseverance_ and _Everyman_ than could be gathered from these general
remarks. For a summary of the former we shall be glad to borrow the
outline given by Ten Brink in his _History of English Literature_.[34]

'_Humanum Genus_ appears as a new-born child, as a youth, as a man, and
as a graybeard. As soon as the child appears upon the stage we see the
Angel of Good and the Angel of Evil coming and speaking to him. He
follows the Evil Angel and is led to Mundus (the World), who gives him
Joy and Folly, and very soon also Slander, for his companions. By the
latter--or, to stick to the literal expression of the poet, by this
latter female personage--_Humanum Genus_ is introduced to Greed, who
soon presents to him the other Deadly Sins. We see the hero, when a
young man, choosing Lust as his bed-fellow; and, in spite of the
endeavours of his Good Angel, he continues in his sinful career until at
length Repentance leads him to Confession. At forty years of age we see