Prologues were anciently made use of only before Comedies; but with us they are equally suited to them and Tragedy. They who have a Mind to know the several Sorts of them, may consult Vossius. The Ancients had no Epilogue, which is intirely modern, and us'd in common both to Tragedy or Comedy. Terence's Prologues have no Wit, and very little Fancy in them; which cannot be said of our Prologues and Epilogues, full, as they often are, of the most lively Entertainment.
They who wou'd be acquainted with the Chorus, the Cantica, and the Pantomimes of the Ancients, must consult Vossius and Scaliger, and such Writers: For these Particulars belong rather to the History of Poetry, than to any Branch of Critic. The Use of them, especially the Pantomimes, was to relieve the Audience, that it might not grow weary of the Play: A Practice which can never be mention'd to their Honour: For it is a certain Evidence of a bad Taste, when an Audience cannot bear to sit out a dramatic Entertainment, without being reliev'd by such low Diversions: But we have the less Reason to wonder at this, who have seen in our own Time and Nation, Rope and Ladder-Dancers, and other wonderful Artists of that Class, not only admitted upon the Stage, but (to our Shame be it spoken) receiv'd there with the utmost Applause. The Age, indeed, even of Augustus, fell into much the same Depravity, which Horace thus rallies for it:
[413] —Media inter carmina poscunt Aut ursum, aut pugiles.
Let Hockley-hole Diversions grace the Stage, And Dog with Bear, Stokes with his Wife engage.
They, surely, must be of very low Genius, that cannot be content with a Comedy, unless it is disgrac'd with somewhat lower, a ridiculous Farce.
From what we have said of the Nature and Turn of this Kind of Poem, that it is a Representation of common and private Life; some Persons will, perhaps, imagine it to be a Work of Amusement, compos'd without much Difficulty, or Genius. But this is so far from making it easier, that it increases the Difficulty of writing it. Take Horace's Opinion,
[414] Creditur, ex medio quia res arcessit, habere Sudoris minimum; sed habet Comœdia tanto Plus oneris; quanto veniæ minus.
As Comedy takes all its Characters From common Life, 'tis thought a Work of Ease; Yet where the less Indulgence is allow'd, The greater Pains and Judgment are requir'd. Ch. Carthy.
Nor yet do we, therefore, affirm in general, that Comedy is a Work of greater Difficulty or Genius than Tragedy, which was the Opinion of Antiphanes, a Comic Poet, as Vossius tells us[415], whom the Reader may consult for the Arguments and Replies on both Sides.
The Language of Comedy is by that learned Author[416] consider'd in two Lights; in general, with regard to its Elegance; and more particularly, as it relates to the Stage. "As to Elegance, he says, that the Language of Aristophanes, and other Writers of the old Greek Comedy, was more correct and beautiful than Menander's and other Writers of the new. Among the Latins, Terence, for Beauty, and Purity of Style, is superior to all; Plautus is honour'd but with the second Place, tho', in Varro's Judgment, he deserv'd the first." But no Body has been so indulgent to Varro's Opinion, as to approve of it[417]. Horace thought very differently, whose Sentiments of Plautus appear from the Verses already quoted. He proceeds, "If we consider the Language with regard to the Drama, it must be suitable to the Subject, and not at all sublime; but, on the contrary, easy and familiar, and not set off with too many Ornaments." It is needless to say more upon this Subject, because I have already observ'd, in a former Lecture, that the Style of Comedy is not properly poetical, but an elegant Kind of Prose.