years, a sensible reformation has begun to take place in English comedy. We have, at last, become ashamed of making our public entertainments rest wholly upon profligate characters and scenes; and our later comedies, of any reputation, are much purified from the licentiousness of former times. If they have not the spirit, the ease, and the wit of Congreve and Farquhar, in which respect they must be confessed to be somewhat deficient: this praise, however, they justly merit, of being innocent and moral. For this reformation, we are, questionless, much indebted to the French theatre, which has not only been, at all times, more chaste and inoffensive than ours, but has, within these few years, produced a species of comedy, of still a graver turn than any that I have yet mentioned. This which is called the serious, or tender comedy, and was termed by its opposers, La Comedia Larmoyante, is not altogether a modern invention. Several of Terence's plays, as the Andria, in particular, partake of this character; and as we know that Terence copied Menander, we have sufficient reason to believe that his comedies, also, were of the same kind. The nature of this composition does not, by any means, exclude gaiety and ridicule; but it lays the chief stress upon tender and interesting situations; it aims at being sentimental, and touching the heart by means of the capital incidents; it makes our pleasure arise, not so much from the laughter which it excites, as from the tears of affection and joy which it draws forth. In English, Steele's Conscious Lovers is a comedy which approaches to this character, and it has always been favourably received by the public. In French, there are several dramatic compositions of this kind, which possess considerable merit and reputation; such as the Melanide,' and Prejugé à la Mode,' of La Chaussée; the Père de Famille,' of Diderot; the Cénie,' of Mad. Graffigny; and the ' Nanine,' and L'Enfant Prodigue,' of Voltaire. When this form of comedy first appeared in France, it excited a great controversy among the critics. It was objected to, as a dangerous and unjustifiable innovation in composition. It is not comedy, said they, for at is not founded on laughter and ridicule. It is not tragedy, for it does not involve us in sorrow. By what name then can it be called? or what pretensions hath it to be comprehended under dramatic writing? But this was trifling, in the most egregious manner, with critical names and distinctions, as if these had invariably fixed the essence, and ascertained the limits, of every sort of composition. Assuredly, it is not necessary that all comedies should be formed on one precise model. Some may be entirely light and gay; others may incline more to the serious; some may partake of both; and all of them, properly executed, may furnish agreeable and useful entertainment to the public, by suiting the different tastes of men.* Serious and tender comedy has no title to claim to itself the possession of the stage, to the exclusion of ridicule and gaiety. But when it retains only its proper place, without usurping the province of any other; when it is carried on with resemblance to real life, and without introducing romantic and unnatural situations, it may certainly prove both an interesting and an agreeable species of dramatic writing. Il y a beaucoup de très bonnes pièces où il ne regne que de la gayeté: d'autres toutes serieuses; d'autres melangèes; d'autres où l'attendrissement va jusq'aux larmes. Il ne faut donner éxclusion à aucune genre; et si l'on me demandoit, quel genre est le neilleur? Je répondrois, celui qui est le mieux traitè.' VOLTAIRE. If it become insipid and drawling, this must be imputed to the fault of the author, not to the nature of the composition, which may admit much liveliness and vivacity. In general, whatever form comedy assumes, whether gay or serious, it may always be esteemed a mark of society advancing in true politeness, when those theatrical exhibitions, which are designed for public 2 amusement, are cleared from indelicate sentiment, or immoral tendency. Though the licentious buffoonery of Aristophanes amused the Greeks for a while, they advanced by degrees to a chaster and juster taste; and the like progress of refinement may be concluded to take place among us, when the public receive with favour, dramatic compositions of such a strain and spirit as entertained the Greeks and Romans, in the days of Menander and Terence. INDEX. Accents, thrown farther back from the ter- Action, much used to assist language in an Adam, his character in Milton's Paradise Addison general view of his Essay on the Adjectives, common to all languages, 80. Adverbs, their nature and use defined, 84. Eneid of Virgil, critical examination of that Eschines, a comparison between him and Eschylus, his character as a tragic writer, 470. Etna, remarks on Virgil's description of Ages, four, peculiarly fruitful in learned Akenside, his comparison between sublimi- Alphabet of letters, the consideration which led to the invention of, 68. Remote ob Allegory, explained, 150. Anciently a fa- Ambiguity in style, from whence it pro Amplification in speech, what, 171. Its American languages, the figurative style of, Anagnorisis, in ancient tragedy explained, Annals and history, the distinction between, Ancients and moderns distinguished, 347. Antithesis, in language explained, 167. Arabian poetry, its character, 380. Architecture, sublimity in, whence it arises, Aristotle, his rules for dramatic and epic definition of a sentence, 101. His extend- 68. Ark of the covenant, choral service per- formed in the procession of bringing it Art, works of, considered as a source of Articles, in language, the use of, 73. Their ૨૬૧ Articulation, clearness of, necessary in pub- lic speaking, 329. Associations, academical, recommended, Athenians ancient, character of, 238. Eio- Authors petty why no friends to criticism, B. Bar, the eloquence of defined, 236. Why In- Barrozo, Dr. character of his style, 178. Bergerus a German critic, writes a trea- Berkeley bishop, character of his Dialogues Blackmore Sir Richard. remarks on his Bolingbroke, instances of inaccuracy in his Bombast in writing described, 44. Bossuet, M. instances of apostrophes to Cadmus, account of his alphabet. 69. Carmel Mount metaphorical allusions to Celtic language, its antiquity and character, too much in historical works, 363. The Chivalry, origin of, 374. Chorus, ancient, described, 455. Was the Chrysostome, St. his oratorical character, Cibber, Iris character as a dramatic writer, Cicero, his ideas of taste, 16, note. His dis |