The Italians—Pastoral Dramas of Tasso and Guarini—Small progress in
Tragedy—Metastasio and Alfieri—Character of both—Comedies of Ariosto,
Aretin, Porta—Improvisatore Masks—Goldoni—Gozzi—Latest state.
LECTURE XVII.
Antiquities of the French Stage—Influence of Aristotle and the Imitation of the Ancients—Investigation of the Three Unities—What is Unity of Action?—Unity of Time—Was it observed by the Greeks?—Unity of Place as connected with it.
LECTURE XVIII.
Mischief resulting to the French Stage from too narrow Interpretation of the Rules of Unity—Influence of these rules on French Tragedy—Manner of treating Mythological and Historical Materials—Idea of Tragical Dignity— Observation of Conventional Rules—False System of Expositions.
LECTURE XIX.
Use at first made of the Spanish Theatre by the French—General Character of Corneille, Racine, and Voltaire—Review of the principal Works of Corneille and of Racine—Thomas Corneille and Crebillon.
LECTURE XX.
Voltaire—Tragedies on Greek Subjects: Oedipe, Merope, Oreste—
Tragedies on Roman Subjects: Brute, Mort de César, Catiline, Le
Triumvirat—Earlier Pieces: Zaire, Alzire, Mahomet, Semiramis,
And Tancred.