[351] Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem, Quam quæ sunt oculis commissa fidelibus.
But what we hear, moves less than what we see. Roscommon.
Besides, the Action in the Drama is much more simple, and compendious, than in the Epic; it takes up less Time, and therefore requires more Art to conduct it. It excites in the Mind more rapid Motions, and consequently makes the Pleasure and Admiration more intense. For these, and other Reasons, Aristotle, in the last Chapter of his Book of Poetry, does not scruple to give the Preference to Tragedy before Epic. Not that I think he reckons it a more noble Kind in general, (for that would be contrary to Truth and Reason) but only so far as its Sphere extends: And this is a Difference, which, I humbly conceive, is very distinguishable. This Excellence of the Drama, which I here speak of, is the Reason, no doubt, why, tho' his Book bears the Title of Poetry in general, yet he dwells solely upon that Species of it. I am not ignorant, indeed, that this Work of his, as it is now extant, is imperfect, and part of it lost. But by what we have now remaining, the rest of it appears to have been spent on the same Subject. And Horace, the best Interpreter of Aristotle, in his famous Epistle to the Piso's, keeps chiefly in this Track. The other Kinds of Poetry he does but lightly touch: But the Laws of the Drama he treats of fully and professedly. After his Example, various Writers upon the Art of Poetry in different Ages and Languages, have chose to dwell chiefly upon the Drama, and have left abundance of elaborate Treaties upon that Subject. I shall make it my Business to collect what others have said, into as short a Compass as I can, and explain more fully what I have now to add of my own.
The principal Species of the Drama are two, Comedy and Tragedy: Some others there are, of less Note; as Pastoral, and Satire, both which we have already spoke of. Tragi-Comedy I don't reckon one of them, because I think it the greatest Absurdity in Nature, and is not so properly a Species distinct from the other two I first mention'd, as the Abuse and Corruption of them. For what can be more ridiculous, than, in the Compass of three Hours, to distract the Mind with Joy and Grief, in such a Manner, that the two contrary Passions may debilitate, or totally extinguish each other? How ill are such incoherent Parts united? And what is it but a monstrous Production?
[352] ——Turpiter atrum Desinit in piscem mulier formosa superne.
A Handsome Woman with a Fish's Tail. Roscom.
How irrational a Transition is it, from beholding the Conflicts of Kings and Heroes with Misfortunes, to descend, on a sudden, to low Scenes of Ribaldry, and to return again from these to so moving a Spectacle! A Poem, indeed, should be adorn'd with Variety, but not with Inconsistencies. The Passions, likewise, and Affections of the Mind, should be bent and bow'd down; but so bent, that they may not grow languid, but recover new Strength. This poetic Kind of Prodigy, I think, is altogether modern, and chiefly of British Extraction; for it was the last Age produc'd Multitudes of them in our own Tongue. I know very well that the learned Vossius[353], speaking of the Plays of the Ancients divided into Prætextatæ and Togatæ, observes, that "there was a mix'd Kind, call'd Tabernariæ, where some of the Persons appear'd in the Prætexta, others in the Toga. Thus Festus in Pomponius Lætus: The Togatæ were of two kinds, viz. the Prætextatæ, when the Actors represented Persons of Quality, such as had the Liberty of wearing the Prætexta; and the Tabernariæ, when Persons of low Rank were mix'd with others of Birth and Figure. From hence it is plain, if the Prætextatæ were a Sort of Tragedies, and the Togatæ Comedies; the Tabernariæ being of a mix'd Nature, were what Plautus calls Tragi-Comedies. Such is the Amphitryo of Plautus, and Hercules Licymnius of the Greeks." And as absurd as these Poems were, they agreed so far, only, with our Tragi-Comedies, that they mix'd Persons of high and low Rank together; but they never debas'd the Misfortunes of the former with the Lasciviousness of the latter, as is usual with our Writers. As to the Mimi, Pantomimi, the Nomi, and the Attellani, they don't so much come within the Province of a Criticism on Poetry, as of a History of it; since the Writings of the Ancients, in this Way, are now quite out of Date. They that are desirous of this Part of Knowledge, may consult other Writers, and Vossius particularly. But there's another Species of Dramatic Folly, which the Ancients were utter Strangers to, the Opera's, I mean, introduc'd among us from foreign Parts, by the mercenary Traffic of Eunuchs and Courtezans: Among us, I say, and it is with Shame I speak it, who set a Value upon every Thing that is foreign; and are laugh'd at, on that Account, by the very Foreigners we admire. Too fatal an Indication this, of the Depravity of our Taste, as well as of our Manners, when we place the Height of our Pleasure in those Things, which it would be too much to honour, even with a Toleration. Metre, no doubt, is very suitable to Poetry, especially to the Dramatic Kind, and ought often to be us'd there, as it is a proper Instrument of raising or soothing the Passions: But that the whole Drama should be Sing-Song, that the Actors should always appear
[354] Et cantare pares, & respondere paratos.
Well pair'd to sing, And ready with each other's Skill to vie.
that the most insignificant Action, as well as the deepest Passion, should be express'd in Tune; and whether they send a Message, or read a Letter; whether they quarrel, fight, kill, or are kill'd; whether they laugh, or storm, or die; that this should all be perform'd in Song, is somewhat more monstrous than the Poets ever yet describ'd[355]. Whatever Share of Poetry these Performances can pretend to, is so wretchedly silly, that it does not deserve our Notice. Those Words of Horace are truly applicable to them, and in a more proper Sense, than he was ever aware of: