Having thus set aside these spurious Offsprings, Comedy and Tragedy remain now to be discours'd of distinctly, after I have first said something of what relates to them in common, that is, to Dramatic Poetry in general.
The History of the ancient Drama, both Greek and Roman, as it does not come within my present Design, I leave to be learnt from Vossius, and others. I shall only lay before you the following Passage, from his Poetical Institutions, which may serve for a short View of it. [360] The Drama, says he, owes its Rise to Days of Festivity. For in ancient Times 'twas usual for Men, when they had collected in the Fruits of the Earth, to meet together, that they might sacrifice to the Deity, and unbend their Minds from the Fatigues of the Harvest. Hence arose two Sorts of Poetry; the one graver, in Praise of the Gods; the other jocose, full of Lampoon against one another. Under the former Head we may reckon the Dithyrambics of Bacchus, Hymns to the Gods, and Panegyrics upon Heroes. Under the second Iambics, and Phallic Verses. The first Essays were rough, and unpolished; but, by Degrees, the great Actions of Gods and Heroes grew more numerous, and increas'd into set Fables: So, in like manner, the jocose Compositions began to come under proper Regulations. Thus from the former Kind arose Tragedy; from the latter, Satire, Comedy, and Mimic." Thus he, agreeable to which, is Virgil, in his Georgics:
[361] —Baccho caper omnibus aris Cæditur, & veteres ineunt proscenia ludi.
An horn'd He-Goat, Sacred to Bacchus, on each Altar bleeds; And ancient Interludes adorn the Scene.
And Horace, in his Epistle to Augustus:
[362] Agricolæ prisci fortes, parvoque beati, Condita post frumenta, levantes tempore festo Corpus, & ipsum animum, &c.
The ancient Swains, those temp'rate happy Swains, Contented Sov'reigns of their little Plains, When all their Corn was hous'd, wou'd make a Feast, Unbend their Minds, and lay them down to rest; Their Cares dissolv'd into a happy Thought, And Minds enjoy'd the Rest their Labour sought. Creech.
For the same Reason, I shall pass over all the Apparatus of the ancient Drama, of which the foremention'd learned Author, and many others, have treated fully; the Form, for Instance, and Ornaments of the Theatre, the Scene, Proscenium, Pulpitum, Orchæstra; the Habits of the Actors, as the Toga, Pallium, Soccus, Cothurnus, and many other Particulars of the like Nature. I cannot help, indeed, making this one Remark, that the Mask of the Ancients has been, to me, Matter of Astonishment. For can any Thing in the World be more contradictory to Reason? The great Aim of the Drama has always been, to represent Nature herself, and conceal Art, as much as possible: The Poet, therefore, thought it his Business to draw the Characters of Men, as they really were. Is it the Custom, then, I beseech you, either for Kings and Heroes, on the one Hand, or the Commonalty, on the other, to walk about with Masks on? Why, then, do they appear with them, upon the Stage? If it is the Excellence of the Poet to counterfeit Nature, why are so much Pains thrown away, to convince the Spectators, that what they see is but an imperfect Copy of her. This Artifice might do well enough in Puppet Shews: But that the immortal Works of Sophocles and Terence should be murdered with so monstrous a Device, is perfectly amazing. Besides, (to omit the Impediment they must be to the Actor's Speech) is it usual for Men to preserve the same Countenance in all the possible Variety of Circumstances? Why, then, must they do so upon the Stage? Where are the different Passions, of Joy or Sorrow, and the various Turns of the Muscles that express them? At this Rate, indeed, Horace's Rule is preserv'd according to the Letter, tho' very far from the Sense of it:
[363] ——Servetur ad imum Qualis ab incepto processerat, & sibi constet.
Let all the Parts agree, and be alike. Creech.