Third Unity is that of Action; It consists in contriving the chief Business of the Play single, and making the concerns of one Person distinguishably great above the rest. All the Forces of the Stage must as it were serve Under one General: And the lesser Intrigues or Underplots, have some Relation to the Main. The very Oppositions must be useful, and appear only to be Conquer'd, and Countermin'd. To represent Two considerable Actions independent of each other, Destroys the beauty of Subordination, weakens the Contrivance, and dilutes the pleasure. It splits the Play, and makes the Poem double. He that would see more upon this subject may consult Corneille.Discourse des Trois Unitez. pt. 3d.[431] To bring these Remarks to the Case in hand. And here we may observe how the Relapser fails in all the Rules above mention'd.
1st. His Play by modest Computation takes up a weeks Work, but five days you must allow it at the lowest. One day must be spent in the First, Second, and part of the Third Act, before Lord Foplington sets forward to Sir Tun-belly. Now the Length of the Distance, the Pomp of the Retinue, and the Niceness of the Person being consider'd; the journey down, and up again, cannot be laid under four days.p. 88.[432] To put this out of doubt, Lord, Foplington is particularly careful to tell Coupler, how concern'd he was not to overdrive for fear of disordering his Coach-Horses. The Laws of Place, are no better observ'd than those of Time. In the Third Act the Play is in Town, in the Fourth Act 'tis stroll'd Fifty Miles off, and in the Fifth Act in London again. Here Pegasus stretches it to purpose! This Poet is fit to ride a Match with Witches. Juliana Cox never Switched a Broom stock with more Expedition! This is exactly
Titus at Walton Town, and Titus at Islington.
One would think by the probability of matters, the Plot had been stolen from Dr. O——s.
The Poet's Success in the last Unity of Action is much the same with the former. Lovelace, Amanda, and Berinthia, have no share in the main Business. These Second rate Characters are a detatched Body: Their Interest is perfectly Foreign, and they are neither Friends, nor Enemies to the Plot. Young Fashion does not so much as see them till the Close of the Fifth Act, and then they meet only to fill the Stage: And yet these Persons are in the Poets account very considerable; Insomuch that he has misnamed his Play from the Figure of two of them. This strangness of Persons, distinct Company, and inconnexion of Affairs, destroys the Unity of the Poem. The contrivance is just as wise as it would be to cut a Diamond in two. There is a loss of Lustre in the Division. Increasing the Number, abates the Value, and by making it more, you make it less.
Thus far I have examin'd the Dramatick Merits of the Play. And upon enquiry, it appears a Heap of Irregularities. There is neither Propriety in the Name, nor Contrivance in the Plot, nor Decorum in the Characters. 'Tis a thorough Contradition to Nature, and impossible in Time, and Place. Its Shining Graces as the Author calls them,Pref.[433] are Blasphemy and Baudy, together with a mixture of Oaths, and Cursing. Upon the whole; The Relapser's Judgment, and his Morals, are pretty well adjusted. The Poet, is not much better than the Man. As for the Profane part, 'tis hideous and superlative.see Chap. 2d.[434] But this I have consider'd elsewhere. All that I shall observe here is, that the Author was sensible of this Objection. His Defence in his Preface is most wretched: He pretends to know nothing of the Matter, and that 'tis all Printed; Which only proves his Confidence equal to the rest of his Virtues. To out-face Evidence in this manner, is next to the affirming there's no such Sin as Blasphemy, which is the greatest Blasphemy of all. His Apology consists in railing at the Clergy; a certain sign of ill Principles, and ill Manners. This He does at an unusual rate of Rudeness and Spite. He calls them the Saints with Screw'd Faces, and wry Mouths. And after a great deal of scurrilous Abuse too gross to be mention'd, he adds;Pref.[435] If any Man happens to be offended at a story of a Cock and a Bull, and a Priest and a Bull-dog, I beg his Pardon, &c. This is brave Bear-Garden Language! The Relapser would do well to transport his Muse to Samourgan.** An Academy in Lithuania, for the Education of Bears. Pere Auvill Voyage en Divers Etats, &c. p. 240.[436] There 'tis likely he might find Leisure to lick his Abortive Brat into shape; And meet with proper Business for his Temper, and encouragement for his Talent.
CHAP. VI.
The Opinion of Paganism, of the Church, and State, concerning the Stage.
Having in the foregoing Chapters discover'd some part of the Disorders of the English Stage; I shall in this Last, present the Reader with a short View of the Sense of Antiquity, To which I shall add some Modern Authorities; From all which it will appear that Plays have generally been look'd on as the Nurseries of Vice, the Corrupters of Youth, and the Grievance of the Country where they are suffer'd.
This proof from Testimony shall be ranged under these three Heads.