This, being matter of fact, is reasonably to be established by this appeal: as if one "man fays 'tis night, the reft of the world "conclude it to be day; there needs no far"ther argument against him, that it is fo. "If he urge, that the general tafte is depraved, his arguments to prove this can at "bcft but evince that our poets took not the "best way to raise thofe paffions; but expe"rience proves against him, that these means, "which they have used, have been successful, "and have produced them. "And one reafon of that fuccefs is, in my opinion, this, that Shakespeare and Flet"cher have written to the genius of the age “ and nation in which they lived; for though nature, as he objects, is the fame in all places, • and reason too the fame; yet the climate, "the age, the difpofition of the people, to "whom a poet writes, may be fo different, "that what pleased the Greeks would not fatisfy an English audience. "And if they proceeded upon a foundation "of truer reason to please the Athenians than Shakespeare and Fletcher to please the Englith, it only fhew that the Athenians were "a more judicious people; but the poet's bu"finefs is certainly to please the audience. "Whether our English audience have been pleafed hitherto with acorns, as he calls it, "or with bread, is the next queftion; that is, "whether the means which Shakespeare and Fletcher have ufed in their plays to raife "thofe paffions before named, be better applied to the ends by the Greek poets than by them. And perhaps we shall not grant him this wholly: let it be granted that a writer is not to run down with the "ftream, or to please the people by their own "ufual methods, but rather to reform their "judgements, it ftill remains to prove that "our theatre needs this total reformation. "The faults, which he has found in their "designs, are rather wittily aggravated in many places than reasonably urged; and as "much may be returned on the Greeks, by one who were as witty as himself. 2. They destroy not, if they are granted, "the foundation of the fabrick; only take away from the beauty of the fymmetry: for example, the faults in the character of the King and No-king are not as he makes "them, fuch as render him deteftable, but only imperfections which accompany human "nature, and are for the most part excused by the violence of his love; fo that they def"troy not our pity or concernment for him : "this answer may be applied to most of his objections of that kind. "And Rollo committing many murders, "when he is anfwerable but for one, is too feverely arraigned by him; for it adds to our "horror and deteftation of the criminal: and poetick justice is not neglected neither; for we ftab him in our minds for every offence "which he commits; and the point, which "the poet is to gain on the audience, is not "fo much in the death of an offender as the raising an horror of his crimes. par "That the criminal fhould neither be wholly guilty, nor wholly innocent, but fo ticipating of both as to move both pity and terror, is certainly a good rule, but not perpetually to be obferved; for that were to make all tragedies too much alike, which objection he forefaw, but has not fully " answered. " ་་ To conclude, therefore; if the plays of the "ancients are more correctly plotted, ours are "more beautifully written. And if we can raise paffions as high on worse foundations, it "Thews our genius in tragedy is greater; for, "in all other parts of it, the English have manifeftly excelled them." THE original of the following letter is preferved in the library at Lambeth, and was kindly imparted to the publick by the reverend Dr. Vyfe. Copy of an original Letter from John Dry- Al Illuftriffimo Signe d' Honore A. S. S. Franca per Mantoua. In Roma. "Dear Sons, Sept. the 3d, our stile. Being now at Sir William Bowyer's in "the country, I cannot write at large, because "I find myself fomewhat indifpofed with a cold, and am thick of hearing, rather worfe " than I was in town. I am glad to find, by your letter of July 26th, your stile, that you you are both in health; but wonder "Thould think me fo negligent as to forget to give you an account of the ship in which your parcel is to come. I have written to you two or three letters concerning it, which I have sent by fafe hands, as I told you, "and doubt not but you have them, before "this can arrive to you. Being out of town, I have forgotten the fhip's name, which your mother will enquire, and put it into "her letter, which is joined with mine. But "the master's name I remember: he is called "Mr. Ralph Thorp; the fhip is bound to Leghorn, configned to Mr. Peter and Mr. "Tho. Ball, Merchants. I am of your opinion, "that by Tonfon's means almost all our let ters have miscarried for this last year. But "however he has miffed of his design in the "Dedication, though he had prepared the "book for it; for in every figure of Eneas " he has caufed him to be drawn, like K. "William, with a hoked nose. After my return "to town, I intend to alter a play of Sir Ro"bert Howard's, written long fince, and lately put by him into my hands: 'tis called the Conqueft of China by the Tartars, It will coft me fix weeks ftudy, with the probable be"nefit of an hundred pounds. In the mean "time I am writing a fong for St. Cecilia's "Feaft, who, you know, is the patronefs of "mufick. This is troublefome, and no way "beneficial; but I could not deny the Stew"ards of the Feast, who came in a body to me to defire that kindness, one of them being "Mr. Bridgman, whofe parents are your mo"ther's friends. I hope to fend you thirty gui neas ་ neas between Michaelmas and Christmass, " of which I will give you an account when I come to town. I remember the counsel you give me in your letter; but diffembling, though lawful in fome cafes, is not my talent; yet, for your fake, I will ftruggle with the plain openness of my nature, and keep in my just resentments against that degenerate "order. In the mean time, I flatter not myself "with any manner of hopes, but do my duty, "and fuffer for God's fake; being affured, be"forehand, never to be rewarded, though the "times fhould alter. Towards the latter end "of this month, September, Charles will begin to recover his perfect health, according "to his nativity, which, cafting it myself, I am fure is true, and all things hitherto have happened accordingly to the very time that "I predicted them: I hope at the fame "time to recover more health, according to my age. Remember me to poor Harry, "whose prayers I earnestly defire. My Virgil "fucceeds in the world beyond its defert or my expectation. You know the profits might "have been more; but neither my conscience "nor my honour would fuffer me to take "them: but I never can repent of my con (6 ftancy, fince I am thoroughly perfuaded of "the justice of the caufe for which I suffer. It "has pleafed God to raise up many friends "to me amongst my enemies, though they "who ought to have been my friends are negligent of me. I am called to dinner, and cannot go on with this letter, which I defire you to excufe; and am Your Moft affectionate father |