rior world? The Greeks of Racine, says he, are not indeed of that univerfe, which belonged only to Corneille; but with what pleasure does he make us behold ourselves in the perfons he prefents to us! and how agreeably would the heroes of antiquity be furprised to find themselves adorned by new manners, not indeed like their own, but which yet do not misbecome them! It can hardly be fuppofed that á Critic of Pere Brumoy's tafte did not mean. to convey an oblique cenfure in thefe obfervations. The Tragic Poet is not to let his Pegafus, like the Hippogriffe of Astolpho, carry him to the moon; he is to reprefent men fuch as they were; and, indeed, when the fable and manners do not agree, great improprieties and perfect incredibility enfue. If a Grecian fable is chofen, Grecian manners should accompany it. A fuperficial decorum is kept up if Agamemnon ap pears pears a great chief; but he should be a Greek chief too, if he is to facrifice his daughter to Diana. The fame magnanimity of fentiment might certainly have been found in Gustavus Adolphus, and in other generals; but then how monftrous would appear the great catastrophe of the play! If Shakespear had not preferved the Roman character and fentiments, in his play of the Death of Julius Cæfar, we should have abhorred Brutus as an Affaffin, who by this artifice appears a Tyrannicide: and had not Mr. Addifon made Cato a Patriot, according to the Roman mode, we should think he was mad for killing himself, because Cæfar was likely to become perpetual dictator. It is difficult to fympathize with a man's paffions, without adopting, for the time, his opinions, customs, and prejudices: but it is certainly neceffary to exhibit the man as ftrongly tinctured with those prejudices and customs as poffible. To all but fuperficial Critics would it not appear as ridiculous to see Thefeus and Achilles wear French manners, as a French dress? A little reflection would fhew it is more fo: for there are relations between fentiments and manners, and none between fentiments and dress. It is ftrange that Painters, who are to give the mute inanimate figure, are required to be rigid obfervers of the Costumi, and that the dramatic Poet, who is to imitate sentiment, discourse, and action, should be allowed to neglect them. ON ΟΝ ΤΗΕ HISTORICAL DRA M A. Nec minimum meruere decus, veftigia Græca. D 2 |