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fubjects; the moft juft and fublime in his fentiments, In defcriptive talents he is alfo eminent. Euripides is accounted more tender, than Sophocles; he is fuller of moral fentiments; but he is lefs correct in the conduct of his plays. His expofitions of his subjects are less artful; and the fongs of his chorus, though very poetic, are lefs connected with the principal action, than those of Sophocles. Both of them however have high merit, as tragic poets. Their style is elegant and beautiful; and their fentiments for the most part juft. They fpeak with the voice of nature; and in the midst of fimplicity they are touching and interesting.

Theatrical representation on the stages of Greece and Rome was in many respects very fingular, and widely different from that of modern times. The fongs of the chorus were accompanied by inftrumental music ;; and the dialogue part had a modulation of its own,. and might be set to notes.. It has also been thought, that on the Roman stage the pronouncing and gefticulating parts were fometimes divided, and performed by different actors.. The actors in tragedy wore a long. robe; they were raised upon cothurni, and played in. masks. These masks were painted; and the actor by turning the different profiles exhibited different emotions to the auditors. This contrivance however was. attended by many disadvantages.

FRENCH TRAGEDY.

N the compofitions of fome French dramatic writers tragedy has appeared with great luftre; particularly Corneille, Racine, and Voltaire. They have improved upon the antients by introducing more incidents, a greater variety of paffions, and a fuller difplay of characters. Like the antients, they excel in regularity of conduct; and their style is poetical and elegant. But to an English tafte they want ftrength and paffion, and are too declamatory and refined. They feem afraid of being too tragic; and it was the opinion of Voltaire, that to the perfection of tragedy it is neceffary to unite the vehemence and action of the English theatre with the correctness and decorum of the French.

Corneille, the father of French tragedy, is diftinguished by majefty of fentiment and a fruitful imagination. His genius was rich, but more turned to the epic, than the tragic vein. He is magnificent and splendid rather, than touching and tender. He is full of declamation, impetuous, and extravagant.

In tragedy Racine is fuperior to Corneille. He wants indeed the copioufness of Corneille; but he is free from his bombast, and excels him greatly in tenderness. The beauty of his language and verfification is uncommon; and he has managed his rhymes with fuperior advantage.

Voltaire is not inferior to his predeceffors in the drama; and in one article he has outdone them, the delicate and interesting fituations, he has introduced. Here lies his chief ftrength. Like his predeceffors, however, he is sometimes deficient in force, and fometimes too declamatory. His characters, notwithstanding, are drawn with spirit, his events are striking, and his fentiments elevated.

ENGLISH TRAGEDY.

IT has often been remarked of tragedy in Great

Britain, that it is more ardent, than that of France, but more irregular and incorrect. 'It has therefore excelled in the foul of tragedy. For the pathetic must be allowed to be the chief excellence of the tragic muse.

The first object on the English theatre is the great Shakespeare. In extent and force of genius, both for tragedy and comedy, he is unrivalled. But at the fame time it is genius fhooting wild, deficient in taste, not always chafte, and unaffifted by art and knowledge. Criticism has been exhausted in commentaries upon him; yet to this day it is undecided, whether his beauties or defects be greateft. In his writings there are admirable scenes and paffages without number; but there is not one of his plays, which can be pronounced

a good one. Beside extreme irregularities in conduct, and grotesque mixtures of the serious and comic, we are frequently disturbed by unnatural thoughts, harsh expreffions, and a certain obscure bombast, and play upon words. These faults are however compenfated by two of the greatest excellencies, a tragic poet can poffefs, his lively and diverfified painting of character, and his ftrong and natural expreffions of paffion. On thefe two virtues his merit refts. In the midft of his abfurdities he interefts and moves us; fo great is his fkill in human nature, and fo lively his reprefentations of it.

He poffeffes alfo the merit of having created for himself a world of preternatural beings. His witches, ghofts, fairies, and spirits of all kinds, are so awful, myfterious, and peculiar, as ftrongly to affect the imagination. His two masterpieces are his Othello and Macbeth. With regard to his historical plays they are neither tragedies, nor comedies; but a peculiar fpecies of dramatic entertainment, in which he defcribes the characters, events, and manners of the times, of which he treats.

Since Shakespeare there are few English dramatic writers, whofe whole works are entitled to high praife. There are feveral tragedies however of confiderable merit. Lee's Theodofius has warmth and tenderness, though romantic in the plan, and extravagant in the Centiments. Otway is great in his Orphan and Venice

Preferved. Perhaps however he is too tragic in these pieces. He had genius and strong paffions, but was very indelicate.

The tragedies of Rowe abound in morality and in elevated sentiments. His poetry is good, and his language pure and elegant. He is, notwithstanding, too -cold and uninteresting; and flowery rather, than tragic. His best dramas are Jane Shore and the Fair -Penitent, which excel in the tender and pathetic.

Dr. Young's Revenge discovers genius and fire; but wants tenderness, and turns too much on the direful paffions. In the Mourning Bride of Congreve there are fine fituations and much good poetry. The trage dies of Thomson are too full of a stiff morality, which renders them dull and formal. His Tancred and Sigif munda is his masterpiece; and for the plot, characters, and fentiments, juftly deferves a place among the best English tragedies.

A Greek tragedy is a fimple relation of an interesting incident. A French tragedy is a feries of artful and refined converfations. An English tragedy is a combat of krong paffions, fet before us in all their violence, producing deep difafters, and filling the fpectators with grief. Antient tragedies are more natural and fimple; modern more artful and complex.

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