application is made) whofe peculiar differences "and correspondencies, as refulting from the "natures of each, fhould, in agreement to the "univerfal law of decorum, be exactly known and diligently obferved by the poet." Singula quaque locum teneant fortita decentem, 1. 92. But there is a further propriety in this enumeration of the feveral kinds of poetry, as addreffed to the dramatic writer. He is not only to ftudy, for the purposes here explained, the characteristic 'differences of either fpecies of the drama: He muft further be knowing in the other kinds of poetry, fo as to be able, as the nature of his work fhall demand, to adopt the genius of each, in its turn, and to transfer the graces of univerfal poetry into the drama. Thus, to follow the divifion here laid down, there will fometimes be occafion for the pomp and high colouring of the EPIC narration; fometimes for the plaintive foftnefs and paffionate inconnexion of the ELEGY: and the chorus, if characterized in the ancient manner, muft catch the fiery, inraptured spirit of the ODE. Defcriptas fervare vices operumque colores, Cur ego, fi nequeo ignoroque, POETA falutor? Hence is feen the truth of that remark, which there hath been inore than once occafion to make, "That, however general these prefatory "inftruc

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"inftructions may appear, they more especially "refpect the cafe of the drama."

90. INDIGNATUR ITEM, &C.-COENA THYESTAE.] Il met le fouper de Thyefte pour toutes fortes de tragedies, fays M. Dacier; but why this fubject was fingled out, as the reprefentative of the reft, is not explained by him. We may be fure, it was not taken up at random. The reafon was, that the Thyeftes of Ennius was peculiarly chargeable with the fault, here cenfured; as is plain from a curious paffage in the Orator; where Cicero, fpeaking of the loose numbers of certain poets, observes this, in particular, of the tragedy of Thyestes, Similia funt quædam apud noftros: velut in Thyefte,

Quemnam te effe dicam? qui tardâ in fenectute. et quæ fequuntur: quæ, nifi cùm tibicen accesserit,

ORATIONI SUNT SOLUTE SIMILLIMA: which character exactly agrees to this of Horace, wherein the language of that play is cenfured, as flat and profaic, and hardly rifing above the level of ordinary converfation in comedy. This allufion to a particular play, written by one of their beft poets, and frequently exhibited on the Roman stage, gives great force and spirit to the precept, at the fame time that it exemplifies it in the happiest manner. It feems further probable to

me,

me, that the poet also designed an indirect compliment to Varius, whofe Thyeftes, we are told, [Quinctil. 1. x. c. 1.] was not inferior to any tragedy of the Greeks. This double intention of these lines well fuited the poet's general aim, which is feen through all his critical works, of beating down the exceffive admiration of the old poets, and of afferting the just honours of the modern. It may further be obferved, that the critics have not felt the force of the words exponi and narrari in this precept. They are admirably chofen to exprefs the two faults condemned: the first implying a kind of pomp and oftentation in the language, which is therefore improper for the low fubjects of comedy: and the latter, as I have hinted, a flat, profaic expreffion, not above the caft of a common narrative, and therefore equally unfit for tragedy. Nothing can be more rambling than the comment of Heinfius and Dacier on this last word.

94. IRATUSQUE CHREMES TUMIDO DILITIGAT ORE: ET TRAGICUS PLERUMQUE DOLET SERMONE PEDESTRI.] It may not be amifs to open a little more particularly the grounds of this criticism; which may beft be done by a commentary on the following lines of the poet :

Format

Format enim natura priùs nos intùs ad omnem Fortunarum habitum; juvat aut impellit ad iram; Aut ad humum moerore gravi deducit et angite Poft effert animi motus interprete linguâ.

To draw after the life, in any given conjunc+ ture, the poet muft recollect (which may eafily be done by confulting with his own confcious experience) that peculiar difpofition of mind, into which the fpeaker is, of neceffity, carried by the circumftances of his fituation. And the fentiments, which give the image of this peculiar difpofition, are the genuine lineaments of the character intended.

But the truth of fentiment may be hurt or effaced by incongruous language, juft as the exactest lineaments of a portrait are often difguifed or loft under a vicious colouring. To paint then as well as draw after the truth, it is requifite that a further regard be had to the expreffion. Which again is no great difficulty for the artift, the fame common nature holding the torch to him, as before. For in entering into ourfelves we find, that as the mind, in any suppofed fituation, gives birth to a certain fet of conceptions and fentiments, correfpondent to its true ftate, and expreffive of it: fo, by attending to the language, in which thofe fentiments ordinarily manifeft themselves, we cafily perceive they take one ftyle or manner of expreffion

preferably

preferably to every other. For expression, where falfe art is not employed to distort it, gives the juft image of our fentiments; just as these, when nature is not fuppreffed or counteracted, are ever the faithful reprefentatives of the manners. They refult, like the famous Simulacra of Epicurus, as by a fecret deftination, from their original forms; and are, each, the perfect copies of other. All which will be clearly understood by applying these general obfervations to the inftances in view.

The paffion of ANGER rouzes all the native fire and energy of the foul. In this diforder, and, as it were, infurrection of the mental powers, our fentiments are ftrong and vigorous; nature prompting us to liberal and lofty conceptions of ourselves, and a fuperior difdainful regard of others. This again determines the genius of our language, which, to conform to fuch fentiments, muft be bold and animated; breaking out into forcible imagery, and swelling in all the pomp of founding epithets and violent figures. And this even amidft the humbler concerns of private and inferior fortunes:

Iratufque Chremes TUMIDO DILITIGAT ORE.

In the paffion of GRIEF, on the contrary, the reverse of this takes place. For the mind, oppreffed and weighed down by its forrows, finks