be represented, was the invention of Aeschylus: and doubtlefs much more becoming it was, than thofe ridiculous countenances, which the actors gave themselves, by befmearing their faces with wine-lees: these masks were of fome ufe to those who were spectators at a diftance, as well in helping to distinguish the several characters, as in affifting the voice. But however they must But in the new they were known before the actor fpoke. comedy, the masks were only formed to move laughter. Ορῶμεν γῶν τὰς ἐφοῦς ἐν τοῖς προσώποις τῆς Μενάνδρε κωμωδίας ὁποίας ἔχει, καὶ ὅπως ἐξεγραμμένον τὸ ΣΩΜΑ καὶ ἐδὲ κατὰ ἀνθρώ Twv Qoow. We fee therefore what ftrange eyebrows there are to the masks used in Menander's comedies; and how the BODY is diftorted, and unlike any human creature. Mr. Theobald, in his preface to Shakespeare, has cited this paffage, and thus corre&ted it, καὶ ὅπως ἐξεσραμμένον τὸ ὄμμα, i. e. and how the eyes were goggled and diftorted. But furely, instead of ENMA, with little or no variation, it should be ETOMA. And this is plain from the reprefentations we have of the comic masks, which may be seen in Madam Dacier's Terence; and are likewife in an old MS. Terence in the Bodley library at Oxford; in which mafks the mouth is hideoufly, and ridiculously distorted: and the chief reafon of the mouth being thus formed was, to help the actor to throw his voice to a greater distance. This is plain from A. Gellius, lib. 5. c. 7. Perfona, a perfonando dicta eft: nam caput et os cooperimento perfonae tectum undique, unaque tantum vocis émittendae via pervium, quod non vaga neque diffufa eft, in unum tantummodo exitum colle&tam coa&tamque vocem, et magis claros canerofque fonitus facit. 105 hide all the various changes of the countenance, fo neceffary in a good actor, and more expressive of paffion than any gefture whatever. Notwithstanding the improvements made in tragedy by Aefchylus, yet he lived to fee himself excelled by Sophocles. With what rapidity did the tragic muse thus advance to perfection? But what must appear most strange to us moderns, is the inexhaustible invention of these Attic poets, who could write fo correct, yet so quick and almost extemporal. The lowest account of the plays of Aefchylus amounts to above feventy; Sophocles and Euripides wrote 7 Sophocles was the firft that did not act his own plays, having but a weak and unharmonious voice. He added a third actor, which critics imagine fufficient to be brought together in conversation in one scene, for more they suppose would occafion embarrasment and confufion. Net quarta loqui perfona laboret: There is another part of art of Sophocles's worth notice, and that is, his consulting the genius and abilities of his chief actors, and fitting the parts to them. See Triclinius, or whoever else was the writer of this poet's life. Sophocles undoubtedly wrote better plays than Aeschylus: but who has excelled Shakespeare? 'Tis remarkable, that the Athenians gave leave to the poets to revise the plays of their old bard, and then to bring them on the stage. So Quinétilian informs us, 1. 10. c. 1. We have had several poets too that have attempted the fame with Shakespeare. a greater a greater number. The genius of our Shake- The noble beart that harbours virtuous thoughts THERE is a paffage in Plato's Minos, that at first fight contradicts this account of the original of tragedy, which is there faid to be of a much ancienter date, than the times of Thefpis. Dr. Bentley, in his very learned differtation on the epiftles of Phalaris, thinks that Plato was miftaken. But this can hardly be allowed in a piece of hiftorical learning, relating to his own country; if it be confidered 8 In his Fairy Queen, B. 2. c. 12. f. 47. 9 Plat. in Min. p. 320, 321. edit. Steph. vol. 2. 10 Bentl, differt. &c. p. 235, 278. too, too, that Plato was a critic, as well as a philofopher. There are others again who will literally interpret Plato's words, in contradiction to all other authorities. However, if he be here understood, as often he should, with fome latitude, perhaps the whole difficulty will disappear. Socrates is defending the character of Minos, which had been abused: "How comes it "then (fays fome one) that Minos has been fo "afperfed for a barbarous and cruel prince? "Why, replies Socrates, if you have any in"clination to have a good name, keep fair with the poets, which was not the cafe of Minos; "for he waged war with this city, which abounds with arts and sciences, and with all "other forts of poets, as well as tragic writers. "For here tragedy is of ancient date, not, as men think, beginning from Thefpis or Phry"nichus; but if you'll examine, you'll find it "an old invention of this ftate. For tragedy ย is a kind of poetry moft proper to please the "people, and to work upon their affections." Ἡ δὲ τραγῳδία ἔτι παλαιὸν ἐνθάδε, εχ, ὡς οἴονται, ἀπὸ Θέσπιδος ἀρξαμένη, εδ' ἀπὸ Φρυνίχε αλλ ̓ εἰ θέλεις ἐννοῆσαι πάνυ παλαιὸν αὐτὸ εὑρήσεις ἂν τῆσδε τῆς πό λεως εὕρημα· ἔτι δὲ τῆς ποιήσεως δημοτερπέςαλόν τεν ψυχα[ωδικώτατον ή τραγωδία. It feems to me very plain, that TPATNAIA is here to be taken in it's larger larger extent and fignification. Thus if I fhould fay the book of Job is a tragedy with a happy catastrophe, I should not mean 'twas ever acted on a stage. There were no ftage-plays, 'till the times of Thefpis and Phrynichus, and in this fense no tragedies. But yet there were ftories, of a dramatic kind, formed into dialogue, and characters drawn, as of Minos, a cruel king: and this manner of writing was of ancient date at Athens, not the invention of Thefpis or Phrynichus, as people generally thought, con founding the stage with the characteristic and dialogue manner of writing: fo that the thing itself was older than the name. And this explanation of Plato will lead us to another of Horace. II Ignotum tragicae genus inveniffe camaenae Thefpis 11 Hor. art. poet. 275. In this paffage of Horace poemata is not strictly his written plays; but in a larger fignification his plays with their whale apparatus: fo Diogenes Laertius in the life of Solon ufes paludias, tragedies with their apparatus, Θέσπιν ἐκώλυσε τρα[ῳδίας ἄδειν τε, καὶ διδάσ MEI. 1. 1. f. 59. Solon forbid Thefpis to carry his tragedies about in carts, and to act them; which I mention, because Dr. Bentley will take the word poemata in a limited and |