part of its excellence, in comparison of a glofs of pleafantry diffused over each scene, which is more the happy effect of a lucky moment, than of long confideration.

These objections, and many others, which so fruitful a fubject might eafily fuggeft, it is not difficult to refute and if we were to judge by the impreffion made on the mind by tragedies and comedies of equal excellence, perhaps, when we examine thofe impreffions, it will be found that a fally of pleasantry, which diverts all the world, required more thought than a paffage which gave the highest pleasure in tragedy; and to this determination we fhall be more inclined when a closer examination fhall fhew us, that a happy vein of tragedy is opened and effufed at lefs expence, than a well-placed witticism in comedy has required merely to affign its place.

It would be too much to dwell long upon fuch a digreffion; and as I have no bufinefs to decide the queftion, I leave both that and my arguments to the tafte of each particular reader, who will find what is to be faid for or againft it. My purpose was only to fay of comedy, confidered as a work of genius, all that a man of letters can be supposed to deliver without departing from his character, and without palliating in any degree the corrupt use which has been almost always made of an exhibition which in its nature might be innocent; but has been vicious from the time that it has been infected with the wickedness of men. It is not for public exhibitions that I am now writing, but for literary inquiries. The ftage is too much frequented, and books too much neglected. Yet it is to the literature of Greece

and

and Rome that we are indebted for that valuable taste, which will be infenfibly loft by the affected negligence which now prevails of having recourfe to originals. If reafon has been a confiderable gainer, it must be confeffed that tafte has been fomewhat a lofer.

To return to Ariftophanes: fo many great men of antiquity, through a long fucceffion of ages, down to our times, have set a value upon his works, that we cannot naturally suppose them contemptible, notwithstanding the effential faults with which he may be juftly reproached. It is fufficient to fay, that he was esteemed by Plato and Cicero; and to conclude by that which does him most honour, but ftill falls fhort of juftification, the ftrong and sprightly eloquence of St. Chryfoftom drew its fupport from the masculine and vigorous atticism of this farcaftic comedian, to whom the father paid the fame regard as Alexander to Homer, that of putting his works under his pillow, that he might read them at night before he flept, and in the morning as foon as he awaked.

GENERAL CONCLUSION

то

BRUMOY's GREEK THEATRE.

Summary of the I. four articles

treated of in this discourse.

THU

HUS I have given a faithful extract of the remains of Ariftophanes. That I have not fhewn them in their true form, I am not afraid that any body will complain. I have given an account of every thing as far as it was confiftent with moral decency. No pen, however cynical or heathenish, would venture to produce in open day the horrid paffages which I have put out of fight; and inftead of regretting any part that I have fuppreffed, the very fuppreffion will eafily fhew to what degree the Athenians were infected with licentiousness of imagination and corruption of principles. If the tafte of antiquity allows us to preserve what time and barbarity have hitherto spared, religion and virtue at least oblige us not to spread it before the eyes of mankind. To end this work in an useful manner, let us examine in a few words the four particulars which are most striking in the eleven pieces of Aristophanes.

Character of ancient come

dy.

II. The first is the character of the ancient comedy, which has no likeness to any thing in nature. Its genius is so

wild and strange, that it fcarce admits a definition. In what class of comedy must we place it? It appears to me to be a fpecies of writing by itself. If we had Pbrynicus, Plato, Eupolis, Critinus, Ameipfias, and fo many other celebrated rivals of Aristophanes, of whom all that we can find are a few fragments fcattered in Plutarch, Athenias and Suidas, we might compare them with our poet, fettle the general scheme, obferve the minuter differences, and form a complete notion of their comic ftage. But for want of all this we can fix only on Aristophanes, and it is true that he may be in fome measure sufficient to furnish a tolerable judgment of the old comedy; for if we believe him, and who can be better credited? he was the moft daring of all his brethren the poets, who practifed the fame kind of writing. Upon this fuppofition we may conclude, that the comedy of those days confifted in an allegory drawn out and continued; an allegory never very regular, but often ingenious, and almost always carried beyond strict propriety, of fatire keen and biting, but diverfified, fprightly, and unexpected; fo that the wound was given before it was perceived. Their points of fatire were thunderbolts, and their wild figures, with their variety and quickness, had the effect of lightning. Their imitation was carried even to resemblance of perfons, and their common entertainments was a parody of rival poets joined, if I may fo exprefs it, with a parody of manners and habits.

But it would be tedious to draw out to the reader that which he will already have perceived better than myself. I have no defign to anticipate his reflections; and therefore

X 4

fore shall only sketch the picture, which he must finish by himself: he will pursue the subject farther, and form to himself a view of the common and domeftic life of the Athenians, of which this kind of comedy was a picture, with fome aggravation of the features: he will bring within his view all the customs, manners, and vices, and the whole character of the people of Athens. By bringing all these together he will fix in his mind an indelible idea of a people in whom fo many contrarieties were united, and who in a manner that can fcarce be expreffed, connected nobility with the caft of Athens, wisdom with madness, rage for novelty, with a bigotry for antiquity, the politeness of a monarchy with the roughnefs of a republic, refinement with coarfenefs, independence with flavery, haughtiness with fervile compliance, severity of manners with debauchery, a kind of irreligion with piety. We fhall do this in reading; as in travelling through different nations we make ourselves masters of their characters by combining their different appearances, and reflecting upon what we see,.

The govern ment of the Athenians.

III. The government of Athens makes a fine part of the ancient comedy. In most states the mystery of government is

confined within the walls of the cabinet; even in commonwealths it does not pass but through five or fix heads, who rule thofe that think themselves the rulers. Oratory dares not touch it, and comedy ftill lefs. Cicero himself did not speak freely upon fo nice a fubject as the Roman commonwealth; but the Athenian eloquence was informed of the whole fecret, and fearches the receffes of the human mind, to fetch it out and expofe it to the

people.