The impartial critick, or, Some observations upon a book, entituled, A short view of tragedy, written by Mr. Rymer by Mr. Dennis. Dennis, John, 1657-1734. 1693 Approx. 103 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 35 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A35669 Wing D1030 ESTC R20339 12677113 ocm 12677113 65589 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35669) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65589) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 959:25) The impartial critick, or, Some observations upon a book, entituled, A short view of tragedy, written by Mr. Rymer by Mr. Dennis. Dennis, John, 1657-1734. [13], 52 p. Printed for R. Taylor, London : 1693. Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library. Errata and advertisement: p. 52. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Rymer, Thomas, 1641-1713. -- Short view of tragedy. English drama -- Restoration, 1660-1700. 2003-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-07 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2003-07 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Impartial Critick : OR , SOME OBSERVATIONS Upon a Late BOOK , Entituled , A Short View of TRAGEDY , Written by Mr. RYMER , AND Dedicated to the Right Honourable CHARLES Earl of DORSET , &c. By Mr. DENNIS . Hanc etiam Mecoenas aspice partem . Virgil. LONDON : Printed for R. Taylor , near Stationers-Hall . 1693. A Letter to a friend : Sent with the Following DIALOGUES . SIR , UPon reading Mr. Rymer's late Book , I soon found that its Design was to make several Alterations in the Art of the Stage , which instead of reforming , would ruine the English Drama . For to set up the Grecian Method amongst us with success , it is absolutely necessary to restore not only their Religion and their Polity , but to transport us to the same Climate in which Sophocles and Euripides writ ; or else by reason of those different Circumstances , several things which were graceful and decent with them , must seem ridiculous and absurd to us , as several things which would have appear'd highly extravagant to them , must look proper and becoming with us . For an Example of the first : The Chorus had a good effect with the Athenians , because it was adapted to the Religion and Temper of that People , as I have observ'd more at large in the Fourth Dialogue . But we having nothing in our Religion or Manners , by which we may be able to defend it , it ought certainly to be banished from our Stage . For Poetry in general , being an imitation of Nature , Tragedy must be so too . Now it is neither probable , nor natural , that the Chorus , who represent the Interested Spectators of a Tragioal Action , should Sing and Dance upon such terrible or moving Events , as necessarily arrive in every Tragedy . And I wonder that Mr. Rymer should cry up a Chorus , in the very same Book in which he cries down the Opera : for no Man can give any Reason , why an Opera is an extravagant thing ; but I will , by retorting the same Reason , prove a Chorus extravagant too . But to make the absurdity of it the more apparent , let me desire you , Sir , a little to look back to the Spanish Invasion , which Mr. R — fancies a proper Subject for a Tragedy : Suppose then , that an Express gives Notice to Queen Elizabeth , of the Landing of the Spaniards upon our Coast , and of great Number of Subjects revolting and running in to them . The Queen upon the reception of this News , falls a lamenting her Condition , with an Air becoming of a Sovereign Princess , in whom Sorrow and Majesty must be united : so far there is no offence to Nature or Decency ; for this may be call'd Tragedy upon the Stage of the World. But then , Sir , suppose that as soon as the Queen has left off lamenting , the Ladies about her , in their Ruffs and Farthingals , fell a dancing a Saraband to a doleful Ditty : Do you think , Sir , that if this had really happened at White-Hall , it would have been possible to have beheld it without laughing , tho' one had been never so much concerned for his Country ? Now can any thing that is incongruous and absurd in the World , be proper and decent on the Tragick Stage . I now beg leave , Sir , to give a particular instance of something that must needs have been very moving with the Athenians , which yet would have been but ill receiv'd amongst us : And that is a passage in the Antigone of Sophocles . That Story , as it is manag'd by that admirable Poet is one of the most moving that ever was : And there is no part of it that touohes me more , than the Complaints of Antigone , upon her Condemnation by Creon . But there is one thing peculiar in it , which must needs have exerted Compassion in the Athenians in an extraordinary manner ; for other wise Sophocles , who perfectly understood his Audience , would never have made her repeat it , at least , four times in the same Act : For when she was condemn'd to the severest Punishment , which was to be buried alive , the thing that lay most heavy upon her Heart was , that she was to go to Hell with her Maiden-head . I think , Sir , I need not take pains to demonstrate , that this passage would have been laugh'd at with us . Now what reason can be given , why that should appear so contemptible to us , which mov'd the Athenians so much ? The only Reason that can be assign'd , is the difference of Climate and Customs . The Athenians by using their Women , as the Modern Italians do theirs , plainly declared their Opinion of them ; which was , that Passion was predominant over Reason in them ; and that they were perpetually thinking , how they might make some Improvement of the Talent which NATURE had given their Sex. The Athenians therefore having these thoughts of their Women , the Complaint that Antigone made , could not appear peculiar and surprizing to them . Now it is evident , that every thing which is ridiculous must be both particular and surprizing ; for nothing which is general and expected can excite a sensible Man to Laughter . But we having quite contrary thoughts of our Women ; which is plain , by the Confidence which we so generously repose in them , a Maid who had said , what Antigone did , upon our Stage , would have said something that would have appear'd a frailty particular and surprizing and would have been ridiculous . Thus , Sir , have I given you two instances of things which succeeded very well with the Ancients , and would yet be very ill receiv'd amongst us , upon the account of the difference of our Religion , Climate , and Customs . I shall now give you some account of a thing , which is very well receiv'd upon our Stage , but would have succeeded but ill with the Ancient Grecians , by reason of the same difference of Climate and Customs . The thing that I mean , is Love ; which could but rarely be brought upon the Grecian Stage , without the violation of probability , considering that their Scene lay generally in their own , or a warmer Country : For two People in a Tragedy cannot make Love without being together , and being alone . Now when Lovers came together in Greece , they found something else to do , than to talk . Their Women under so warmer Sun , melted much sooner than ours . Nor were they so fantastick as long to refuse what they eternally desire ; or to pretend a mortal displeasure , for being offer'd to be oblig'd in the most sensible part of them . Therefore most of the Love that appear'd upon the Athenian Stage , was between such People as their own Customs oblig'd to cohabit , as Admetus and Alcestis , who were Man and Wife ; Hippolitus and Phedra , who were Son and Mother-in-Law , and with which last , the only Obstacle to Enjoyment , was the Horrour which so Criminal a Passion inspir'd . Had the Athenian Poets introduc'd upon their Stage two passionate Lovers , who had not been related , and engag'd them in a Conversation both tender and delicate , an Audience would have been apt to ask , with the Spanish Lady , mentioned by Monsieur Sr. Euremont : Que d' esprit mal employe ! A quoy bon tous ces beaux discours quand ils sont ensemble ? You know , Sir , that this Lady made this Reflection , which St. Euremont commends so much , upon the Reading a Conversation in Cleopatra , between two passionate Lovers . Upon which that ingenious Gentleman , with his usual good Sence , takes occasion to condemn Calprenede , for making no distinction betwixt the Love of a Southern Climate , and that of England or France . By what I have said , Sir , it may be easily guess'd that it is in vain to think of setting up a Chorus upon the English Stage , because it succeeded at Athens ; or to think of expelling Love from our Theatres , because it was rarely in Grecian Tragedies . But since I shall treat of this last hereafter , and I have already trespassed upon your Patience , I shall only beg leave of you to make one Apology for my self , and so for the present take leave of you . Let then the Admirers of Mr. Waller know , ( that is , all the ingenious Men in the Kingdom ) that if I have in the following Dialogue rigorously examin'd some Verses which were writ by that Great Man , I have been far from doing it out of a motive of Malice or Vanity , or so much with a design to attack Mr. Waller , as to vindicate Shakespear . For Mr. Rymer , who pretends that this last is without Excellency , affirming , that the fore-mention'd Verses of the first are without Fault , it appears to me to be very plain , that the Man who overlookt Mr. Waller's Faults , might overlook Shakespear's Excellencies For it is much more easie to find Faults , than it is to discern Beauties To do the first requires but common Sence , but to do the last a Man must have Genius . There is no Man who has a greater Veneration for Mr. Wallen than I have : We have all of us reason to Honour the Man , who has been an Honour to England : And it is with an inexpressible pleasure , that I find his Death lamented by two great French Wits , viz. La Fontaine , and Monsieur St. Euremont . A Man may in many places of Mr. Waller's Works , see not only Wit , Spirit , good Sence , but a happy and delicate turn of Thought , with clearness , boldness , justness , sublimeness , and gallantry . For the last of these Qualities , I know not whither he has been surpass'd by any Writer in any Language . Voiture , indeed , is a very gallant Writer too ; but his Gallantry is of such a different Character from our English Poets , that they will not admit of Comparison . Mr. Waller's is more sprightly , more shining , more bold , and more admirable . The French- man's , by the Character of his Country , more supple , more soft , more insinuating , and more bewitching : But besides those rare Qualities which are to be found in that Admirable Man , there are Two for which we were in a peculiar manner oblig'd to him . For he not only improv'd the Language of our Verse considerably , but was the first who us'd our Ears to the Musick of a just Cadence . Yet if any one is of Opinion , that either his Language or Numbers are always perfect , he errs : For as there are sometimes Improprieties in his Expressions , so there is a great deal of Prose in his Verse . Mr. Dryden , who had the good luck to come after him , has the Honour to have finish'd what the other so happily begun . For as we have nothing to shew , ev'n in Prose , which has a greater purity than some of his blank Verse , and particularly that of the Spanish Fryar , ( thô at the same time that it has the purity and easiness of Prose , it has the dignity and strength of Poetry ) so I cannot imagine any thing more perfect than his Equal Numbers in Heroick Verse , where-ever he design'd them perfect ; and in this he will never be exceeded by any Man , unless length of Time makes some strange Alteration in the Tongue . I do not believe that any sensible Man can believe I say this to flatter him : For what can be got by flattering a Poet ; especially a Poet in Mr. Dryden's Circumstances ? But this we may be assur'd of , that as long as we are foolishly partial to the Dead , and unreasonably unjust to the Living , we must resolve to continue at a stand in Politer Learning , and must not think of making that Progress which the French have made . I know very well , that we have greater Geniuses than they , and that we can shew better Writers ; but that they can shew more good Writers than we , no Man who knows them can doubt . Since our Poets want the solid Encouragement that theirs have ; that is , the plentiful Pensions : It would be folly to deny them that fantastick Possession which they are contented and pleas'd with ; since Fame is a sort of an Airy Revenue , which they who unjustly detain from the Owners , cannot themselves enjoy ; it is a base Envy to put the Legal Owners off to a vain Reversion . Thus , Sir , have I sent you my Thoughts , with a great deal more hast than ever I thought to have writ any thing which was design'd to be published I desire you therefore to pardon the negligence of the expression , if you find never so little good Sence to make some amends for it . I am , SIR , Yours , &c. The First DIALOGUE . BEAUMONT , FREEMAN . Beaum. JACK Freeman ! This is an unexpected , and a surprizing Visit : with what Impatience have I long'd for this happy Hour , and how have I regretted this tedious Absence ! Prithee , how long hast thou been in Town ? Freem . But just time enough to shift me ; yet time enough to receive two Assignations , the one from a Lawyer , and the other from a Wench , who , as the Devil would have it , saw me as I passed in the Stage-Coach thro' the Hay Market . But I resolv'd to visit neither , till I had seen thee . Beaum. Surprizingly kind ! especially in this infamous Town , where 't is almost scandalous to be so much a Friend ; where Friendship is seen to give place , not only to Business and Pleasure , but sometimes too even to Vanity ; where I have known an old grave Rogue , who has had nothing to do , disappoint three or four honest Fellows , purely that he might be thought a Raskal of Business : and where I have known a young Fop baulk a Drinking Appointment , out of a longing desire to be thought more leud , and diverted by some wicked Adventure . But , prithee , how do all our Friends in Hamp-shire ? Freem . Why , Faith , here of late , they have done something odly ; but by the help of the Bottle , they have still made a hard shift : they have been as constantly wet , as the Weather in this obstinate Season , and being forbid by the perpetual Rains to follow the daily Labour of their Country Sports , they have handed about their Brimmers within doors , as fast as if they had done it for Exercise . But I long to hear some News from thee . What say our Politick Grumblers now ? Beaum. Dost not thou know , Jack , that I hate both Politicks and Politicians ; every Politician who is not in a Publick Station is an Ass , and the feverest Satyr on so fantastick an Animal as Man ; s'death ! that a Creature so very impotent , should yet be so very busie ; he has seldom either Wisdom to fore-see , or Power to prevent the least Accidents that befal him , in his own little private Capacity , yet must be insolently enquiring into Secrets of State , and medling with mighty Kingdoms . For my part , I very often seek leud Company a Nights , tho' I hate it , on purpose to escape the News-mongers , and Dyer is not at more expence and trouble to obtain his Intelligence , than I am to avoid the Clamour of it . Freem . Well! said moral Ned Beaumont , Philoscphy and Whimsie , I see , are not inconsistent , however the Schools would impose upon us . This puts me in mind of a very odd Answer , from one whom I ask'd once , What a Clock it was by his Watch ? he reply'd , That he had never been such a Sott , as to throw away his Money on Watches ; that he , indeed , was as profuse as another ; but that the very design of his Profusion , was to be ignorant how the time past away ; that the very Sound of a Clock , or an Alarum , occasioned melancholy Reflections in him , and disturbed the Tranquility of his Mind . So that this Fellow had as firmly resolved not to perplex his Noddle with the Apprehensions of Hell and Futurity , as thou hast determin'd not to trouble thy Head with the Fear of a French Invasion . But , prithee , what News from the Commonwealth of Learning ? You use to be more inquisitive after what passes there , and able to inform a Friend of it : What New Books have you now abroad . Beaum. I sent you down Two by the Carrier , the Juvenal , and the Account of Tragedy ; and we have had none since in the Politer Studies , that deserve any consideration . Freem . I read them over with a great deal of pleasure , and some application ; Dear Ned ! How have I long'd to talk with thee of the latter . Beaum. Aye , Jack , the latter : tell me truly , Hadst not thou discovered , tho' there had been no Name to it , that it was written by the same Gentleman , the same Judicious and Learned Gentleman , who writ the Observations upon the Tragedie of the Last Age ? Does not the same Spirit of Learning , and exquisite Sence , seem to be diffus'd throughout it ? Freem . There is good Sence and Learning in both those Books ; but if I may have liberty to speak my Mind , Ned , before you , who are the Author's Friend , there seems to be more Learning in the latter Book , and more good Sence in the former . Beaum. Pray , Sir , what Exceptions have you to the Sence of the latter ? Freem . Why , to use plain dealing with one who is so much my Friend , I am neither satisfied with the Design of that Book , nor with the Method of carrying on that Design , nor with the Stile in which it was written . Beaum. But sure you cannot find fault with the Stile , Jack ; Canst thou have a Quarrel to Pleasantry ? Freem . Pleasantry ! you may call it what you please , Sir ; but that pleasant way , is by no means fit for a Critick : a Critick , whose business it is to instruct , should keep to the Didactick Stile , as Aristotle , Longinus , and the French Criticks have done : for if a Man is eternally Laughing , how can I possibly fall into his Opinion , who know not if he speaks in good earnest ? Beaum. Why surely , Jack , one of your Apprehension may easily discern when another rallies , and when he speaks what he means . Freem . Your Servant , good Mr. Beaumont : But supposing that may be done , when a laughing Critick condemns an Author , how can I know whether he has convicted him by the advantage of his Wit , or the force of his Argumentation ? The best thing in the World is as liable to be ridicul'd as the silliest . Has not Scarron impudently diverted all Europe at the Expence of Virgil , the best of Poets , and the justest of Writers ? upon which an ingenious French-man has made this Observation , That as all Human Grandeur is but Folly , so Sublimeness and the Ridiculum are very nearly related . Beaum. But what is it that you call the Didactick Stile , Jack ? for I have read so little of Criticism , or of Rhetorick , since I have enjoy'd the leisure of a Country Life , that I have great need to be inform'd . Freem . The Didactick Stile , is a Stile that is fit for Instruction , and must be necessarily upon that account , pure , perspicuous , succinct , unaffected and grave . Beaum. Every Stile ought to have three of these qualities ; for barbarity , obscurity , and affectation , must certainly be faults in all : But why , particularly , does the Didactick Stile demand succinctness and gravity . Freem . It requires Succinctness , that its Precepts may be more readily comprehended , and more easily retain'd ; and it requires Gravity to give it an Air of Authority , and cause it to make the deeper impression . Beaum. For my part , I thought Gravity had been long since laught out of the World. Freem The false and affected Gravity has been justly and deservedly laught at , but the true both is , and will always be venerable , being the genuine result of Wisdom and Vertue ; that Gravity will be always laught at , that strives to impose a Fool upon the World for a Man of Sence , or a Raskal for a Man of Honour ; for all Cheats , when they are found out , are despicable . Beaum. But have not I seen thee laughing at a Fellow , only for looking gravely , tho' you never had heard him speak ? Freem . Yes ; but by that very Gravity I soon discover'd the Blockhead in him ; for to a Man who understands the World never so little , a Fool never looks so sillily , as when he attempts to look wisely ; which Butler had certainly in his Head , when he writ the following Couplet . For Fools are known by looking wise , As Men find Woodcocks by their Eyes . 'T is , as it were , a Revenge which Nature takes of them , for forcing her by Affectation : for Gravity must be always affected , when it accompanies Vice or Folly ; but it is natural to Wisdom and Vertue . Now Nature will always be held reverend , and Affectation contemptible . Beaum. Pray , what do you take Gravity to be ? for I have never consider'd it yet with attention . Freem . I think I may venture to describe it thus : Gravity is a compos'd and majestick assurance , which appears in a Man's looks , or his air or manner of expression , and proceeds from the tranquility and greatness of a Mind , that is guided by the Dictates of right Reason . Beaum. Very well : But are not we then as obnoxious to be impos'd on by that Assurance , and that Air of Authority , which always go along with Gravity , as much as we are on the other side , by the Sophistication of Pleasantry , which stums , as it were , an Argument , if I may use that expression , to render it agreeable to the taste of those who are ignorant . Freem . Not one jot obnoxious on that score : for Gravity can no more make a silly Notion pass upon a Man of Sence , than it can set off a Blockhead . Pleafantry , indeed , may make Sophistry pass upon us , because it puts the Mind into agitation , and makes it unfit for enquiry ; but Gravity never fails to make it serene , and dispose it for the strictest Scrutiny . Beaum. Well , you have here said enough to make me wish , that Mr. R. — had made choice of another Stile . But you told me , that you dislik'd the Design of his Book . Freem . Yes ; but I have neither eat nor drunk since I came to Town , and — Beaum. I have Wine in my Chamber . Freem . But I have not been in a Tavern this Month : Therefore prithee let 's to the Old Devil , and talk the rest o're a Bottle . Beaum. Since it is your inclination , it shall be so . The End of the First Dialogue . DIALOGUE II. Beaumont , Freeman , Drawer . Beaum. SO Sirrah ! What need we have come so near Heaven to be wicked ? Draw. I 'll make you amends in your Wine , Master . Beaum. Look you do , Sir. Let me see , it must be your best Red , I think . Well , we have at least got this advantage by mounting , that we are not like to be interrupted ; which is as great a Plague to Criticks , as it is to Poets ; not so much as a Drawer will come near us , without half an hour 's ringing for him : so that I am in no danger of getting drunk to Night , tho' I am in wicked Jack Freeman's Company . Freem . Sir , you do me too much Honour , tho' I dare swear , no body will take me for a Saint , who knows I have been thy Friend these ten Years . But prithee , what sort of Men were those two , whom you spoke to in coming up Stairs ? Beaum. Why one of them was a Bookseller : Now pray guess what the other was . Freem . Why , Faith , an Author . Beaum. If ever thou art indicted for a Magician , I 'll turn Evidence ' egad , it was an Author , Sir. Freem . I have been osten in terrible apprehension of Authors , but I never was afraid of my Carcase before , from one of them ; but this indeed had like to have faln foul upon me ; they were both in a sweet pickle . Beaum. I suppose that Morecraft has been treating his Author with the Generosity of a true Bookseller ; that is , with intention to make him drunk , and so to cheat him of his Copy . Freem . If that was his design , the Author has turn'd the Dice upon him , I gad ; for Morecraft is by much in the worse Condition of the two ; and perhaps the Dog drank till he grew generous in earnest . Beaum. If it should prove so , to morrow he 'll hang for his Vertue ; for such a true bred Raskal can never forgive himself a good Action , especially if it has been costly to him . Freem . You seem to know him well , Sir : But see , here comes the Wine : Sirrah , fill to this Gentleman . Beaum. Come , Jack , remembring our Hamp shire Friends : Faith , 't is good Wine ; but a Pox of this Port , it is not so well tasted as Claret , and it intoxicates sooner . Freem . Why Faith , the intention was good ; but I think in my Conscience , the Prohibition of Claret has mainly promoted Drunkenness . Come , here 's the soresaid Health to you . Beaum. I thank you ; and now to our business : but before we proceed to this Book again , I desire you to give me some satisfaction , in relation to a passage in the Dedication . For Mr. Rymer mentioning the Greek Oedipus , says afterwards of the French , and the English , Quantum mutatus . Now I have always taken our English Oedipus to be an admirable Play. Freem . You have had a great deal of reason to do so ; and it would certainly have been much better , if Mr. Dryden had had the sole management of it . If Mr. Rymer , by his Quantum mutatus , designs to fix any mark of disesteem upon Mr. Dryden's Tragedy , he is doubtless to blame ; but if he only means , that Mr. Dryden has alter'd the Character of Oedipus , and made it less suitable to the design of Tragedy , according to Aristotle's Rules , then Mr. Rymer is in the right of it . Beaum. Pray shew me that . Freem . I shall do it as succinctly as I can : The Design of Tragedy , according to Aristotle , is to excite compassion and terrour : from whence it necessarily follows , that we are not to make choice of a very vertuous Man , to involve him in misery ; nor yet on the other side , of one who is very vicious . Beaum. I desire to know how you draw that Consequence . Freem . The Consequence is just : For the making a very good Man miserable , can neither move compassion nor terror ; no , that must rather occasion horrour , and be detested by all the World. On the other side , by representing a very bad Man miserable , a Poet may please an Audience , but can neither move terrour nor pity in them : for terrour is caused in us by a view of the Calamities of our Equals ; that is , of those who resembling us in their faults , make us , by seeing their Susferings , apprehensive of the like Misfortune . Now if at any time an Audience sees a very wicked Man punished , each Man who knows himself less guilty , is out of all fear of danger , and so there can be no terrour : nor can the calamity of a very wicked Man raise compassion , because he has his desert . Beaum. What sort of Person must be made choice of then ? Freem . Why one who is neither vertuous in a sovereign degree , nor excessively vicious ; but who keeping the middle between these extreams , is afflicted with some terrible calamity , for some involuntary fault . Beaum. Well , and just such a Man is Mr. Dryden's Oedipus , who cannot be said to be perfectly vertuous , when he is both Parricide and Incestuous ; nor yet on the other side excessively vicious , when neither his Parricide nor Incest are voluntary , but caused by a fatal ignorance . Freem . Aye , but says Dacier , to punish a Man for Crimes , that are caused by invincible ignorance , is in some measure unjust , especially if that Man has other ways extraordinary Vertues . Now Mr. Dryden makes his Oedipus just , generous , sincere , and brave ; and indeed a Heroe , without any Vices , but the foremention'd two , which were unavoidable both . Now Sophocles represents Oedipus after another manner , the distinguishing Qualities which he gives him , are only Courage , Wit , and Success , Qualities which make a Man neither good nor vitious . The extraordinary things that he pretends to have done in Sophocles , are only to have kill'd four Men in his Rage , and to have have explain'd the Riddle of Sphiux , which the worst Man in the World that had Wit , might have done as well as Oedipus . Beaum. Well , but does not Sophocles punish Oedipus for the very same Crimes that Mr. Dryden does , vid. for his Incest and Parricide ? If not , for what involuntary faults , does the Sophoclean Oedipus suffer . Freem . Aristotle by those Osfences , which his Interpreter Dacier calls involuntary , does not mean only such faults as are caus'd by invincible ignorance , but such to which we are strongly inclin'd , either by the bent of our Constitutions , or by the sorce of prevailing Passions . The faults for which Oedipus suffers in Sophocles , are his vain Curiosity , in consulting the Oracle about his Birth , his Pride in refusing to yield the way , in his return srom that Oracle , and his Fury and Violence in attacking four Men on the Road , the very day after he had been fore-warn'd by the Oracle , that he should kill his Father . Beaum. But , pray , how were those involuntary Faults ? Freem . Dacier means here by involuntary faults , faults that have more of human frailty in them , than any thing of design , or of black malice . The Curiosity of Oedipus proceeded from a Vanity , from which no Man is wholly exempt ; and his Pride , and the Slaughter that it caused him to commit on the Road , were partly caused by his Constitution , and an unhappy and violent Temper . These are faults that both Aristotle and Dacier suppose , that he might have prevented , if he would have used all his diligence ; but being guilty of them thro' his neglect , they asterwards plunged him in those horrible Crimes , which were follow'd by his sinal Ruine . Thus you see the Character of the Athenean Oedipus , is according to these Rules of Aristotle , the fittest that can be imagin'd to give Compassion and Terrour to an Audience : For how can an Audience choose but tremble , when it sees a Man involv'd in the most deplorable Miseries , only for indulging those Passions and Frailties , which they are but too conscious that they neglect in themselves ? And how can they choose but melt with compassion , when they see a Man afslicted by the avenging Gods with utmost severity , for Faults that were without malice , and which being in some measure to be found in themselves , may make them apprehénsive of like Catastrophes ? For all our Passions , as Dacier observes , are grounded upon the Love of ourselves , and that Pity which seems to espouse our Neighbor's Interest , is founded still on our own . Beaum. Why , will you perswade me , that because an Audience finds in itself the same vain Curiosity , and the same ungovern'd Passions , that drew Oedipus to Murder and Incest , that therefore each Spectator should be afraid of killing his Father , and committing Incest with his Mother ? Freem . No , you cannot mistake me so far ; but they may very well be afraid of being drawn in by the like neglected Passions to deplorable Crimes and horrid Mischiefs , which they never design'd . Beaum. Well then , now I begin to see the reason , why , according to the Sence of Aristotle , the Character of Mr. Dryden's Oedipus is alter'd for the worse : For he , you 'll say , being represented by Mr. Dryden Soveraignly Vertuous , and guilty of Parricide only by a fatal invincible Ignorance , must by the severity of his Sufferings , instead of compassion create horrour in us , and a murmuring , as it were , at Providence . Nor can those Sufferings raise terrour in us , for his Crimes of fatal invincible Ignorance , not being prepar'd , as they are in Sophocles , by some less faults , which led him to those Crimes , as it were , by so many degrees . I do not conceive how we can be concern'd at this ; for Terrour , you say , arises from the Sufferings of others , upon the account of Faults which are common to us with them . Now what Man can be afraid , because he sees Oedipus come down at two Leaps from the height of Vertue to Parricide , and to Incest , that therefore this may happen to him ? For a Man who is himself in Security , cannot be terrified with the Sufferings of others , if he is not conscious to himself of the Faults that caus'd them : but every Man who is disturb'd by unruly Passions , when he sees , how the giving way to the same Passions , drew Sophocles's Oedipus into Tragical Crimes , which were never design'd , must by reflection necessarily be struck with Terrour , and the apprehension of dire Calamities . This , I suppose , is your Sence . Freem . Exactly . Beaum. Well , but the Authority of Aristotle avails little with me , against irresutable Experience . I have seen our English Oedipus several times , and have constantly sound , that it hath caus'd both Terrour and Pity in me . Freem . I will not tell you , that possibly you may have mistaken Horrour for Terrour and Pity : for perhaps it is not absolutely true , that the Sufferings of those , who are Sovereignly Vertuous , cannot excite Compassion . But this is indubitable , that they cannot so effectually do it , as the Misfortunes of those , who having some Faults , do the more resemble ourselves : And I think , that I may venture to affirm two things : First , That if any one but so great a Master as Mr. Dryden , had had the management of that Character , and had made the same mistake with it , his Play would have been hiss'd off the Stage . And Secondly — Beaum. I must beg leave to interrupt you : Why should you believe that another Man's Play upon the same Subject , would have miscarried upon that mistake , when I never heard it yet taken Norice of ? Freem . It would have miscarried , tho' the mistake had ne're been found out : For a common Author proceeding upon such wrong Principles , could never have touch'd the Passions truly . But Mr. Dryden having done it by his extraordinary Address , the Minds of his Audience have been still troubled , and so the less able to find his Error . Beaum. But what was that second thing , which you were going to observe ? Freem . It was this : That if Mr. Dryden had not alter'd the Character of Sophocles , the Terrour and Compassion had been yet much stronger . Beaum. But how could so great a Man as Mr. Dryden , make such a mistake in his own Art ? Freem . How did Corneille do it before him , who was certainly a great Man too ? And if you 'll believe Dacier , C'etoit le plus grand genie pour le Theatre qu'on avoit Jamais ven : Great Men have their Errors , or else they would not be Men. Nay , they are mistaken in several things , in which Men of a lower Order may be in the right . This has been wisely order'd by Providence , that they may not be exalted too much ; for if it were not for this , they would look down upon the rest of Mankind , as upon Creatures of a lower Species . Beaum. Do you believe then , that Aristotle , if he could rise again , would condemn our English Oedipus ? Freem . He would condemn it , or he would be forc'd to recede from his own Principles ; but at the same time that he passed Sentence on it , he would find it so beautiful , that he could not choose but love the Criminal ; and he would certainly crown the Poet , before he would damn the Play. Beaum. But 't is high time to return to Mr. Rymer's Book ; you were saying , you dislik'd the Design of it . Freem . Yes ; but if you will come to morrow Morning to my Lodgings , there I shall give you my Reasons for it . We have criticiz'd sufficiently for one time ; besides , at my Chamber I have two or three Books , which I may have an occasion to cite . Beaum. Well then , let us drink a Glass and be merry . Come , Jack , here 's your Mistress to you . Freem . Nay , Faith , Ned , I am resolv'd to be sober to Night . Beaum. Prithee , canst thou be otherwise in my Company ? How many grave Lectures have I been forc'd to read to thee over a Bottle , in order to keep thee sober ? Freem . But , as the Devil would have it , thou art seldom Philosophically given in Company , but at the same time thou art inclin'd to be damnable Drunk too . Have you forgot since you grew drunk in Hamp-shire , in extolling the Dogma's of Seneca ? When the Company laugh'd to see the Speculative Stoick , a Practical Epicurean . Beaum. However , 't is something to speak for Sobriety : I never heard you do that , unless when we were in Italy together , once at Florence , for want of leuder Employment , you declaim'd in praise of the Italian Temperance ; but it was only in order to get a sober Seignior to sit out another Flask with you . Freem . Faith , Rallery apart , I always esteem'd Drunkenness the most odious of Vices . There is something to be said for Whoring , Whoring is according to Nature , but Drunkenness is a Vice against Nature ; we go always with the Stream to Letchery , but we often tug against it to arrive at Drunkenness . He who drinks five Brimmers in a hand , might certainly have perform'd a very good Action without half so much violence offer'd to his inclination . And he who out of his Love to Conversation , is often perswaded to drink hard , might , if he has but never so little delicacy , be vertuous with less reluctancy . Beaum. But since Drinking is so unnatural a Vice , how comes it so much in fashion amongst us ? Freem . Why some witty Men , they say , introduced it upon the Restoration , and the Fools finding the imitation easie , immediately fell into the Dance . Beaum. The Wits were horribly o'reseen in beginning it , but the Fools were in the right in carrying it on . Freem . How can that be ? Beaum. Because a Fool has as much reason to declare for Drunkenness , as a poor Dog has to declare for Levelling : for Death does not level Conditions more than Drunkenness equals Capacities . A Blockhead when he 's drunk , may talk as well as a Man of Sence , if in the same Condition ; nay , better perhaps : for that quantity of Wine will make a witty Man mad , which will but just be sufficient to animate the cold and flegmatick Mass of a Sot. They who have cause to be asham'd of themselves , have reason to be fond of Disguises ; now Drunkenness is a very convenient Mask to make a Blockhead pass Incognito . Freem . Thou art in the right of it , and upon this Remonstrance I would have left it off , if I had been never so fond of it before . But 't is now some time that I have had a mortal Quarrel to it . Beaum. I shrewdly suspect , that Drunkenness began the Quarrel : for if that had not maul'd you with your Rheumatism , I suppose these Invectives might have been spar'd . Freem . Well , come , will you go ? We 'll pay at the Bar. Beaum. Thou art Seven Years older , and shalt be my Governour . But my Lodgings are nearest , will you go lie with me ? Freem . No , Faith , Sir , I hope for a better Bedfellow ; but to Morrow at Eleven I expect you . Till then , Adieu . Beaum. Your Servant . The End of the Second Dialogue . DIALOGUE III. Freeman in his Chamber , repeating , Should Nature's Self invade the World again , And o're the Center spread the Liquid Main , Thy Power were safe — . ( Enter to him Beaumont . Beaum. WHY how now Jack ? At the scandalous Exercise of repeating this Morning ? Art thou in Debt ? Freem . What makes you ask that ? Beaum. Because if thou art , thou recitest to scare away Duns perhaps . But whose are those Verses ? If they are thine , I scamper immediately . Freem . You are very merry , Sir. Beaum. ' Sdeath ! I had rather be lampoon'd this Morning , than stay to hear a Critick's Verfes . Freem . Well , they are Waller's , Sir. Beaum. Aye , now thou say'st something , Jack . Waller by Nature for the Bays design'd , Witb Spirit , Force , and Fancy unconfin'd In Panegyricks is above Mankind . At least Jack , thou canst not be so impudent as to dissent from Mr. Rymer , in his Judgment of those incomperable Verses upon the Eleet . Freem I am that impudent Dog , I gad . Beaum. Why , are not the Thoughts new there ? Freem . Yes . Beaum. And Noble ? Freem . Yes , very Noble ; but a Pox they are not all of them true tho' . Beaum. You had best say too , that the Language is not clean and majestick . Freem . I need not say so , it says enough of itself . Beaum. This is down-right Spirit of Contradiction ; I desire you to shew me three saults in those Verses , without being hypercritical . Freem . Here , take the Book and repeat them then . Beaumont reads . Where e're thy Navy spreads her Canvas Wings , Homage to thee , and Peace to all she brings . Have you any thing to say to that Couplet ? Freem . Yes ; if Mr. Waller had been to say that in Prose , he would have expressed himself otherwise : he would have said thus : Where e're thy Fleet goes , she carries Peace to all , and causes all to pay or do Homage to thee : For where e're she goes she brings Homage ; would not be good English in Prose . Beaum. Why , will you allow nothing to be said in Verse , that may not be said in Prose too . Freem . Yes , an Expression may be too florid , or too bold for Prose , and yet be very becoming of Verse . But every Expression that is false English in Prose , is barbarous and absurd in Vorse too . But pray proceed . Beaumont reads . The French and Spaniard , when thy Flags appear , Forget their Hatred , and consent to Fear . Freem . I have nothing to say to that Couplet : Go on . Beaumont reads . So Jove from Ida , did both Hosts survey , And when he pleas'd to Thunder , part the Fray. Is not that a Noble Similitude ? Freem . Yes ; but the word Fray is altogether unworthy of the Greatness of the Thought , and the Dignity of Heroick Verse . Fray is fitter to express a Quarrel betwixt drunken Bullies , than between the Grecian and Trojan Heroes , and fitter to be parted by Stokes , than by thundring Jove . But go on . Beaumont reads . Ships heretofore on Seas , like Fishes sped , The mightier still upon the smaller fed . Freem . That is to say , as a great Fish Breakfasts or Dines upon a small one , so a great Ship chops up a little one . I have known several , who , to their sorrows , have seen a Ship drink hard , but I never met with any who have seen one eat yet . Beaum. P'shaw , Pox , this is down-right Banter . This is to fall into the very same fault which you have condemned in others . Freem . I stand corrected , Sir , without rallery then , this Metaphor Feed , is too gross for a Ship , tho' I perfectly know what Mr. Waller means by it . But what think you of the word Sped ? Is that an Heroical word ? Beaum. No , I must confess , that Sped is something too mean. Freem . Too mean ! why it is fit for nothing but Burlesque , Man. Besides , the word heretofore seems too obsolete , nor is Fishes very Heroical . Beaum. Come , Jack , you had better let them two pass , it will be an Error on the Right-hand : for Good Nature makes some amends for Error ; but Error and Ill Nature is the Devil and all . Freem . Let them pass then . In the second Verse of this Couplet , we have mightier oppos'd to smaller ; whereas the word that is truly and naturally oppos'd to smaller is greater . Beaum. Methinks too , that should sooner have occur'd to Mr. Waller . Freem . Doubtless it did so : But Mr. Waller could not make use of that ; for if he had , he must directly and apparently have affirm'd a thing which is not true . For we know very well , that a small Privatier will take a Merchant man biggerthan itself . Tho' all that M r Waller has got by avoiding that Rock , has been only to run himself on another : for by opposing mightier to smaller , he infers , that the mightier are still greater , which is to imply a false thought , if not to express one . But pray go on . Beaumont reads . Thou on the Deep imposest nobler Laws , And by that Justice hast remov'd the Cause . Of those rude Tempests , which for Rapine sent , Too oft , alas , involv'd the Innocent . Freem . I see you have taken Notice yourself , of the want of a Pause at the end of the first Couplet , by proceeding to the second . But , pray what is that Comparative Nobler referr'd to ? , For Laws are neither mention'd before nor after . Now every Comparative , according to Grammar and good Sence , ought to be referr'd to a Positive : Nobler Laws than what ? Or then there were when ? Beaum. Why then there were , when one Ship destroy'd another . Freem . That is as much as to say , Nobler Laws than there were when there were no Laws at all . But what do you understand by removing the Cause of those rude Tempests ? for that seems to me to be something obscure . Beaum. Thou art a pleasant Fellow , faith ; What accuse Mr. Waller of obscurity ? Freem . I have always admir'd Mr. Waller , for a great Genius , and a gallant Man. Nor am I more pleas'd with any of his Excellencies , than with the clearness of his happy turns . But from his being generally clear , can you infer , that he was not once in his Life obscure ? Pray what do you understand by removing the Cause of those Tempests ? Beaum. Why , I understand the Pyrates ; for Mr. Waller could not think , that our Fleet could remove the Winds sure . Freem . No ? we shall see that immediately . But what do you understand by involving the Innocent ? Beaum. Why , involving them in Ruine , in Destruction . Freem . To involve a Man in Ruine is intelligible enough , but barely to involve a Man cannot be good English , methinks , because it presents no clear Notion of any thing to my Mind . But tell me truly , Ned , If any one should talk to thee of a rude Tempest , which sent upon the Ocean for Rapine , sometimes involves a very honest Fellow , would'st not thou swear , that that Man banter'd thee ? Are not these thoughts and words ill suited ? — But I see you have nothing to reply , and therefore proceed . Beaumont reads . Now shall the Ocean , as thy Thames be free From both those Fates of Storms and Pyracy . Freem . That is as much as to say , Now your Majesty's Fleet 's at Sea , Boreas has blown his last . Henceforward the poor Dog will not dare to peep out of his hole , for fear of being serv'd as the Persian serv'd his Brethren . In Coramatque Eurum solitus sevire flagellis . And as there never was a Storm yet upon the Thames , so there shall never be one hence forward upon the Ocean . Beaum. ' Slife ! thou banter'st me now indeed . Freem . Yet this is the down-right meaning of the Couplet , or there can be no meaning at all in it . But pray go on . Beaumont reads . But we most happy who need fear no Force , But winged Troops , or Pegasean Horse . Freem . That winged should have been wing'd ; but that was the fault of the Age , and not of Mr. Waller ; who , to do him Justice , was the first who began to contract our Participles which end in ed ; which being not contracted , exceedihgly weaken a Verse . Beaum. But are all our Participles that end in ed , to be contracted ? Freem . No , you must except wounded , confounded , boasted , wasted , and the like , because we cannot express two d's , or td , without a Vowel between them ; and consequently we should not be able to distinguish the fore-mention'd Participles from their Verbs , if they should be contracted . Beaum. But is not cursed to be excepted too ? Freem . That may be sometimes excepted too : because when that Participle is not contracted , it is not only liable to be mistaken for the Preterperfect Tense of its Verb , but for an Adjective of a different signification , vid. curst , which signifies the same with fierce . No Tygress on Hyrcanian Mountains nurst . No Lybian Lioness is half so curst . Says Sir Richard Fanshaw in his Translation of Pastor Fido. But pray go on . Beaumont reads . 'T is not so hard for greedy Foes to spoil Another Nation , as to touch our Soil . Freem . There is nothing to say to that : Go on . Beaumont reads . Should , Nature's Self invade the World again , And o're the Center spread the Liquid Man , Thy Power were safe , and her destructive hand , Would but enlarge the Bounds of thy Command . Thy — Freem . Hold , you go on to fast , Mr. Beaumont . Beaum. Why , can any thing be more Noble than this ? Freem . This is truly sublime indeed ; but I have an exception to make to the second Verse . For what does Mr. Waller mean , by spreading the Liquid Main o're the Center ? The Center is either taken for an imaginary Point , which is Mathematically in the midst of the Globe , and so to spread any thing over the Center cannot be good Sence ; or the Center is taken for the whole Globe , consisting of Land and Sea , and then to spread the Main over the Center , is to spread the Center over itself . Beaum. This Criticism seems to be just enough . Freem . Nor am I satisfied with the Epithet Liquid ; for every Epithet is to be look'd upon as a Botch , which does not add to the thought . Now it is impossible to think of the Sea , without thinking that it is Liquid at the same time . But go on . Beaumont reads . Thy Power were safe , and her destractive hand Would but enlarge the Bounds of thy Command . Freem . Well , go on . Beaumont reads . Thy dreadful Fleet would stile thee Lord of All , And ride in Triumph o're the drowned Ball : Those Towers of Oak o're fertile Plains might go , And visit Mountains where they once did grow . Freem . This is a most noble passage indeed ; but the word drowned is not sonorous , besides it should be contracted . Proceed . Beaumont reads . The World's Preserver never could endure , That finish'd Babel should those Men secure , Whose Pride design'd that Fabrick to have stood Above the reach of any Second Flood . Freem . Come make an end . Beaumont reads . To thee his Chosen more indulgent , He Dares trust such Pow'r , with so much Piety . Freem . That He seems to be a Botch . But methinks Mr. Rymer has a very odd Observation at the latter end of these Verses ; for here , says he , is both Homer and Virgil ; here is the pious AEneas , and the Fortis Achilles : whereas Mr. Waller does not design to praise the King for his Valour here . There is a great deal of difference betwixt Power and Valour ; the last is Personal , the other in the reach of Fortune . Beaum. Well , but you declare then , that you are of too refin'd a tast to relish Waller ? Freem . I thought I had declar'd the quite contrary . My design in making these Remarks on his Verses upon the Fleet , was only to shew you , that Mr. Rymer has mistaken the most incorrect Copy of Verses that perhaps Mr. Waller has writ , for one of his rarest Master-pieces . Yet all incorrect as those Verses are , I have told you , that I perfectly admir'd some places in them ; from whence any Man may reasonably conclude , that I have an Opinion of Mr. Waller in the main , which is answerable to the Merit of that extraordinary Man. Beaum. But methinks the very faults of a Great Man ought to be respected upon the account of his Excellencies . Freem . The very contrary of which is true : Upon that account they ought to be the rather expos'd . His Faults are the more dangerous on the account of his Excellencies . For young Writers , before they have Judgment to distinguish , are sometimes so far mistaken , as to copy the very Faults of famous Poets for Beauties . One thing I will easily grant you , that to expose a Great Man's Faults , without owning his Excellencies , is altogether unjust and unworthy of an honest Man. Beaum. Well : But since you will not allow these Verses to be what Mr. Rymer assirms them to be , pray let me hear you name a Copy of Verses , whose Thoughts or Language you have no exception to . But a Pox , a Caviller can never esteem any thing perfect . Freem Then will I shew you , that I am no Caviller . Beaum. Nay , I am certain , I can name one Author , whose Verses you can have no exception to . Freem . Pray , who may they be , Sir ? Beaum. Who may it be ? why who the Devil should it be , but thy Self , Man ? To whose Verses can a Critick have no exception , but his own ? Come , prithee , Jack , let us hear one of thy finish'd Pieces now . Come , do not I know , that thou wouldest not have taken all this pains to pull down the Reputation of another , if it were not to set up thy own . Freem . Curse of this unseasonable Rallery : Can any thing be more insipid than an untimely Jest ? Beaum. Why are you so barbarous , as to rake into the Ashes of the Dead then ? If Selfish and Haughty were but here , what d' ye think they would say ? Freem . Those are two special Sparks indeed . Who will allow the Dead to have had no Faults , and the Living to have no good Qualities . When Mr. Oldham was alive , those two Gentlemen would allow him to have neither Wit nor Genius , which none but Sots could deny him ; and they have the impudence to be angry now , if a Man will not allow him to have had both Delicacy , and a good Ear , which none but Blockheads can grant him . In Horace's time , there were a sort of Gentlemen , who were just the Reverse of these two : they would allow none to be past Censure , but those who had been dead a hundred Years . Horace to expose them , made use of a pecaliar address . I may venture to shew the folly of our Spa●ks , by the very same address , with a contrary application : Ours will allow none to be liable to Criticism , but those who have been rotten long enough to have secur'd an Author in Horace's time . You take it then for granted , that an Author who has been dead this hundred Years , is obnoxious to Censure ? Beaum. Yes ; or else it would be barbarity to attack Shakespear , who has not been dead so long . Freem . Well then , suppose our Author has been dead a hundred Years , wanting one ? Beaum. One Year can signifie nothing , and he is still obnoxious to Censure . Freem . Very good , Sir. Vtor permisso , caudque pilos ut equine Paulatim vello : & demo un●m , demo etiam unum Dum cadat elusus ratione ruentis acervi Qui redit ad fastos , &c. That is to say , Sir , I will do as if I were to pull off a Horses Tail , I will one by one substract the Years , till you consess your Errors ; for I will oblige you to one of these two things , either to consess that the Dead are not to be attack'd at all ( and so there can be scarce any Criticisin ) ; or else to fix upon the particular Year when they begin to be liable . And I think you 'll own , that to fix upon that would be ridiculous enough in all Conscience . Beaum. But pray , what should be the reason , that all Men exclaim so against arraigning those who have been lately dead , if they have any Opinion of them ? Freem . One reason may be , that the shewing them Faults which they could not find out themselves , upbraids them with want of discernment , and disturbs their good Opinion of themselves : And another which is stronger is this ; that they have a secret fear of being thus arraigned in their turns . Beaum. But People can with some Patience hear of the Faults of those who have been long since dead . What should be the meaning of that ? Freem . The meaning is plain : For how few are those who think of being remembred a hundred Years after they are dead ? Beaum. Yet all this while you have for got to name a Copy of Verses , which may be allow'd to be more perfect than those which you have just condemn'd . Come name them , Sir. Freem . You must excuse me , Sir. Beaum. Nay , prithee let 's hear . Freem . Then hear , O hear , in what exalted Strains Sicilian Muses , thro' these happy Plains , Proclaim Saturnian Times , our own Apollo Reigns . Beaum. So , Mr. Dryden , I perceive , is oblig'd to you . Freem . Not a jot oblig'd : For art thou such an Ass to think , that I commend another Man's Verses for the Author's sake ? Beaum. For whose then pray ? Freem . For my own most certainly , that I may pass for a Man of Judgment . Beaum. Well , tho' thou art a vain Dog , yet every vain Dog would not have made this honest Consession . But when shall we come to the Main Point ? This has been a long Prelude : Faith , let us ' en Print this Conference , and give it the Title of The Preamble , as a worthy Author in King Charles the Second's time , entituled his Book , The Preface . Freem . However , Chance has not so unhappily thrown us upon this Method : for you being prepossess'd with the reasonableness of Mr. Rymer's Design , the shewing you his Errors in two or three things that are of less importance , may go some way towards the removing your prejudices , and the prepating you to hear Truth when we come to the principal matter . Enter Freeman 's Boy . Boy . Sir , a Gentleman below would speak with you . Freem . I beg your Pardon for a moment . There lies Dacier upon the Table , you may divert yourself with him , till I return . The End of the Third Dialogue . DIALOGUE IV. BEAUMONT , FREEMAN . Freem . SO , I have now got loose , and have secur'd us against more interruption . Beaum. Now then , let me hear your Objections to Mr. Rymer's Design ; for nothing can seem more commendable to me , than his intention , which is to restore Tragedy to its primitive purity , by re-establishing the Ancient Method , and reviving the Rules of Aristotle . Freem . I am for observing the Rules of Aristotle , as much as any Man living , as far as it can be done without re-establishing the Ancient Method . But because the Ancients Tragedies had little Love in them , that therefore ours must have little too ; because the Ancient Tragedies had a Chorus , that therefore we must ridiculously ape them ; this is what I cannot endure to hear of . Beaum. But why ridiculously ape them ? Mr. Rymer pretends that the Chorus is necessary ; nay , that it is always the most necessary part of a Tragedy ; that the French have lately seen the necessity of it , and that the success of their last Plays has sufficiently justified the Wisdom of their late Reformation . Freem . 'T is very inexcusable in a Man of Sence , to make any conclusion from success . The French before now have damn'd a very good Play , and consequently may like an ill one . J'ay veu ( says St. Euremont ) Corneille perdre sa Reputation ( s'il est possible qu'il la perdit ) a la representation d'une de ses meilleurs pieces . I have seen , says he , Corneille lose his Reputation ( if it had been possible for him to lose it ) at the acting of own of his best Plays . Which he speaks to condemn the changable Relish of the Parisians . Nor is it true , that the French saw any necessity for the restoring the Chorus . Monsieur Recine , in his Presace to Esther , which was the first Tragedy that has been lately writ with a Chorus , says , That he was put upon the handling that Subject in that Method , by those who had the Superintendency of the House of St. Cyr ; that is , by Madam de Maintenon . So thatwhat Mr. R — calls a necessity , was but at the best a conveniency . Beaum. A conveniency ! Freem . Aye ; for upon the Writing this Religious Play with a Chorus , the cloister'd Beauties of that blooming Society , had a favourable occasion of shewing their Parts in a Religious way , to the French Court. Beaum. Let me die , it thou hast not been reading the scandalous Chronicle . Freem . Many an honest well-meaning Text has met with a wicked Comment . Beaum. But what does it signifie , whether the French found the Chorus necessary , or only found it convenient . Mr. Rymer , whom all the World allows to be a competent Judge of these matters , not only affirms it to be necessary , but the most necessary part of a Tragedy . Freem . That it is not the most necessary part of a Tragedy , I shall prove by an Argument , which , if Mr. Rymer admits of Aristotle's Rules , will amount to a demonstration . For Tragedy , according to Aristotle , is the imitation of an Important Action . Now an Action may be imitated without the Chorus , but not without the Episode . Beaum. What is it that you call Episode ? Freem . All that was between the singing of the Chorus , which is all our Modern Tragedy . But further , Fable is the very Soul of Tragedy , according to Mr. Rymer himself . Now nothing is more plain than this , that the Fable in Tragedy may subsist without the Chorus , but not without the Episode : From whence it necessarily follows , that the Episode is always the most necessary part of a Tragedy ; for without it , Tragedy can have no Soul , and consequently can have no Being . Beaum. This , I must confess , is something . Freem . Something ? Well , to compleat your Conviction , I shall add the Authority of Dacier , who has these words in his Comment upon Aristotle's Treatise of Poetry , Chap. 12. Sect. 6. Le Tragedie n'etoit dans son origine q'un choeur sans acteurs Ensuite on ajouta les acteurs , pour delasser le choeur , & tout ce que ces acteurs disoient entre deux chants du choeur , s'appelloit Episode , comme qui diroit parte ajouteé ; parce que ces recits etoient pieces etrangeres & surajouteés à une ceremonie dont elles ne faisorent point partie ; mais quand ' la Tragedie eut commencé à se former , & que les recits qui n'etoient que les partie accessoine furent devenues les principal alors , &c. So that it is plain , according to the Sence of Dacier , that tho' the Chorus was at first the Foundation of Trady , it is now the least necessary part of it . Beaum. Well , you seem to have prov'd , that the Chorus is not the most necessary part of a Tragedy , however it may be necessary , and therefore ought to be restor'd . Mr. Rymer affirms particularly , that it is necessary to confine a Poet to unity of place . Freem . There he is so far mistaken , that Monsieur Racine , who in several of his former Tragedies , has with Religion , observ'd that unity , has not tied himself to it so scrupulously in the very first Tragedy which he writ with a Chorus , which he owns himself in his Preface to Esther , and is plain to any one who reads that Tragedy . And whereas Mr. R — affirms , that the Chorus is not to be lost out of sight , let him but consult the First Scene of the Second Act of Esther , and the Seventh Scene of the Third Act of Athaliah ( which is the Second Play that Racine writ with a Chorus ) and he will find , that in those Scenes the Stage is without a Chorus . Beaum. But has not Racine in that deviated from the ways of the Ancients ? Freem . I must confess , I believe he has ; for having lately read over the Oedipus and Antigone of Sophocles , I find , that in those two Plays , the Chorus is always in sight . However , this may serve as an Argument to prove two things : First , That if a Poet will be irregular , he may as well break the unity of place with a Chorus , as without it . Secondly , It may prove , that Racine undertook to write his Esther , purely out of compliance with Madam de Maint●nen . For if he had done it with a design of conforming to the Ancients , he would doubtless have conformed in every thing : but he has been so far from doing that , that his Esther , you know , has but Three Acts ; which is directly contrary to the Precept of Horace , Neve minor quinto neu fit productior actu Fabula — And to the Practice of the Ancients . Beaum. Why , as far as I can remember , Sophocles and Euripides never distinguish'd their Phys by Acts. Freem . They did not make use of the word Act , to denote their Distinctions , as the Romans afterwards did ; but however , the Chorus sung four times in the intervals of the Episode , as the Musick plays four times in the Intervals of the Acts with us . Beaum. You affirm then , that the Chorus is necessary upon no account . Freem . I cannot conceive how the Chorus can be necessary , if Tragedy can attain its end without it . Now the end of Tragedy , according to Aristotle , is to excite Compassion and Terrour , in order to the purging of those , and the like Passions . And Terrour and Compassion may be excited without a Chorus , perhaps better than with it . Beaum. Pray , why so ? Freem . Because the Chorus in some measure must calm an Audience which the Episode disturb'd by its Sublimity , and by its Pathetick ; and therefore he who makes use of a Chorus in Tragedy , seems to me , to do like a Physitian , who prescribing a Dose for the evacuation of Peccant Humors , should afterwards order Restringents to be taken in the midst of its kind Operation . The Song of the Chorus must be forreign from the matter , or pertinent : If forreign from the matter , it must not only calm the Mind in some measure , but take it off from the subject . But if it is never so pertinent , it must very much cool a Reader , if not a Spectator ; tho' I make no question , but it must have the same effect upon both . Beaum. But you ought to prove , that it must have the same effect upon both . Freem . If it has not , it must be wholly unprofitable : for the design of the Chorus is to give good Advice , to preach up Morality , to extol Vertue , to praise or pray to the Gods. Ille bonis faveatque & confilietur amici Et regat eratos , & amet peccare timentes ; Ille dapes laudet mensoe brevis : ille salubrem Justitiam legesque & apertis otia portis . Ille tegat commissa , deosque precetur & oret Vt redeat miseris abeat fortuna superbis . Horat. Art. Poet. Now I would fain know , how an Audience that is extreamly disturbed with Terrour , or with Compassion , can be capable of harkning to good Advice , of apprehending the reasonableness of good Instruction , or of performing Religious Duties . Beaum. But pray , if Terrour and Compassion must be rais'd to such a height without receiving any check , how can they be said to be purg'd ? Freem . Dacier has given us a very sensible account of that . For as the Humors in some distemper'd Body are rais'd , in order to the evacuating that which is redundant or peccant in them ; so Tragedy excites Compassion and Terrour to the same end : For the Play being over , an Audience becomes serene again , and is less apt to be mov'd at the common Accidents of Life , after it has seen the deplorable Calamities of Hero's and Sovereign Princes . Beaum. Now here have I an Objection to make , which must be confess'd to be of some importance . Aristotle has given Rules for the Chorus , which he would not have done , unless he had believ'd it necessary . Horace has follow'd his steps . Dacier , who is Aristotle's best Interpreter , has endeavour'd its restoration : He has declar'd the necessity of it , for teaching Morality to the People ; he has told us , that Racine was convinc'd that there was a necessity for it ; and he has commended him for reviving it in his last Tragedies . Freem . But pray , Sir , how came you to know what Dacier says ? I thought you had told me , you had not convers'd with the Criticks lately . Beaum. I read this in Dacier's Preface , but now , when you left me alone . Freem . Indeed , it must be confess'd , that Aristotle has mention'd the Chorus , and discours'd of the different parts of it . But then , consider how large a space the Chorus took up in the ancient Tragedy , and how little Aristotle has said of it , and you will be oblig'd to own that he slighted it , and would have made no mention of it , if he could have avoided it ; but he could not do that , being engaged to treat of the whole Art of the Stage . Nor could he in prudence condemn the use of it , if you consider that it was Religious in its Office and Institution . The same Answer will serve for Horace , because his Religion and Design were the same with Aristotle's Dacier shall answer himself : For if he declares a Chorus to be necessary in his Preface , he tells you in his Comment upon the Sixth Chapter of Aristotle , that he scarce believes it to be natural , and that having several times wonder'd , how so delicate and so ingenious a People as the Athenians must be allow d to be , could think if agreeable to Nature , or Probability , that a Chorus who represented the Spectators of a Tragical Action , should sing and dance upon such extraordinary and moving Events ; he was oblig'd to attribute it to the Inclinations and Superstition of the Greeks ; who , as they were the People of the World the most inclin'd to Singing and Dancing , ( which natural bent of theirs was fortified by Education ) so were they the most bigotted of all Nations ; and Singing and Dancing , which help'd to constitute the Ceremonials of their Religion . were held as Sacred by them , and of Divine Institution : So that when Dacier , who tells us in his Comment upon the Sixth Chapter , that he could not have believ'd the Chorus natural , if it had not been so adapted to the Superstition and Musical Temper of the Greeks ; declares it to be necessary in his Preface ; he must do it out of belief , that his own Country-men were as airy Bigots as the Greeks . Beaum. And , Faith , he was very much in the right of it . How many French-men have we seen , who between the First and Second Courses have risen from Table , and danc'd to their own damn'd Voices ? I must confess , they do not dance at Church , but they have several apish Gesticulations there , which one may easily mistake for Dancing , and which are as entertaining to the full . But sor Singing , it is both their Diversion and Duty . Freem . Well then ; all this considered , it is no wonder that Dacier should tell us , That Racine being to write upon a Religious Subject , saw a necessity for a Chorus ; that is , for a great deal of Singing and Dancing : for without it there had been two inconveniences : First , The Religion of the Stage had been more free from Superstition , than that of the Altar . And , Secondly , a Play had been more insipid than High Mass. Beaum. Yet Dacier has given us two Reasons for the necessity of a Chorus , that have nothing to do with Racine : For a Chorus , says he , is necessary , First , To deliver Moral Sentiments to the People . And , Secondly , To reflect upon what is vicious and commendable in the Characters of the primary Actors ; in which he is certainly in the right . Now the Chorus being retrench'd from our Modern Tragedy , Morality must be retrench'd at the same time . For the principal Actors being shaken by violent Passions , cannot be made sentencious ; for Sentences require Reflection , and that requires Serenity ; at least some degree of Serenity . How then can our Theatre , the Chorus being retrench'd , be said to be the School of Virtue ? Or how can any one be the better for Modern Tragedy ? Freem . Our Theatre may be said to be the School of Vertue , upon two accounts . First , because it removes the greatest Obstructions to Vertue , by reducing the Passions to a just mediocrity , from their violence and irregularity . And Secondly , because it teaches some Moral Doctrine by the Fable , which must always be allegorical and universal . Beaum. This Answer is something satisfactory . But what can you answer to the Second pretended necessity for restoring the Chorus ? which is , that the Stage may be furnish'd with Persons , who may commend or blame any thing that may be vicious or excellent in the Characters of the primary Actors ? For there may be a necessity sometimes for their speaking prophanely and impiously ; which may be of dangerous consequence , without the Reflections of the Chorus . Freem . Nothing that is said , can be of pernicious consequence in a Tragedy , if it is writ as it ought to be . That is , if it is what Horace calls , Fabula recte morata . Beaum. Pray what may that be ? Freem . A Tragedy is Fabula recte morata , in which the Manners are well painted : So that every Actor discovers immediately by what he says , his Inclinations , his Designs , and the very Bottom of his Character ; then if any thing is said impiously , an Audience not only knows that it is spoken by an implous Man , but by one that is upon the Point of being punish'd for his Impiety . Beaum. This seems to be sensible enough : But now good Sence requires that we should think of our Dinner : for a hungry Sophister , who disputes at the time he may eat , does but defraud his own Genius , to put a cheat upon another Man's Reason : Therefore , let 's to the Cock , and I 'll send for Jack Wild to make a third Man ; who shall very dogmatically tell you , that there can be no Tragedy without a Chorus . Freem . But can he prove it ? Beaum. That you shall judge when you have heard him . Freem . Well : I 'll follow you . The End of the Fourth Dialogue . DIALOGUE V. BEAUMONT , FREEMAN . Scene , Freeman 's Chamber , after Dinner . Beaum. WAS ever any Man mawl'd as thou hast been ! Jack Wild has handled you as you deserv'd , l'faith : Thou wert quite bafled , quite run down , Man ! Freem . Bafled and run down , Good ! Are we in Bow-street , or on the Bank-side ? Your Mr. Wild has an admirable Talent for running People down , I confess . But dost not thou know , that the silliest thing that a Man can do , is to speak Sence in some Company ? Is it not a greater sign of Judgment to hold one's Tongue , than to talk Reason to People who cannot hear it ? Beaum. Then you do not believe he was in the right , it seems ? Freem . I am not quite so credulous . I must confess Mr. Wild had got Dacier without Book perfectly ; nay , and that very place in Dacier which pleads most strongly for a Chorus . But then he would admit of no Answer . I would advise Mr. Wild to take Orders ; a Pulpit sure is the only place where Impertinence has priviledge to be tedious , without interruption . But thou wert as attentive as any Fanatical Bigot at a Conventicle : therefore , if you can recollect his Reasons , I dare undertake , to convince you of their insufficiency . Beaum. Faith , I 'll try ; but then you shall engage , that if I happen to shew such a plaguy Memory , I shall not lose my Reputation of a Wit with you . Freem . That I do readily engage for , I'saith . Beaum. So then ; his first Argument was this : Tragedy is the imitation of a Publick and Visible Action ; therefore there ought to be a Chorus . Freem I must confess , Dacier affirms , That Tragedy must be the Representation of a Publick and Visible Action ; but Aristotle says no such thing , that I know of . Beaum. But common Sence tho' says so : For if an Action is not publickly visible , how can it be seen by such a numerous multitude ? Freem . How can an Action , the Scene of which is in Greece , be seen by us here in England ? Beaum. Nay , I will grant you , that there is an occasion for us to give way to a wholsome delusion , if we design to receive either delight or profit from the Drama . But however , a Poet is still to endeavour , that his Representation be attended with as much probability as it is capable of ; And it is much easier for a thousand Spectators to imagine themselves in some open place , either at Mycenoe or Thebes , than to imagine themselves in a King's Oabinet , in either of those two places . Freem . I must confess what you say appears to be reasonable , but how do you infer from hence , that there ought to be a Chorus ? Beaum. The Action of a Tragedy being publickly visible , and acted by Persons of the most exasted Ranks , it is impossible but that there must be People besides the Actors , interested in the principal Action , upon which Action the Fortune of those People must in some measure depend . Freem . And these People you 'll tell me , are to constitute the Chorus . Beaum. Right . Freem . This , I must confess , is according to Dacier ; but his Doctrine is neither warranted by Aristotle , nor always by the Practice of the Ancients ; for it does not appear to me , for example , what dependance , as to their Fortunes , the Chorus in the Electra of Sophocles , has upon the principal Actors . But suppose we had Charity to grant , that it is impossible for a grave and important Action to be acted in publick by great Men , but others must intermeddle in it : Can Dacier infer from hence , that these People thus concerned , ought to sing and dance at their Princes Sufferings ? I will grant it probable , that at the Sufferings of Kings several should be concern'd ; at the same time you must grant it absurd , that they should sing and dance at their Sufferings . Now would you have a Poet shew a thing that 's absurd , to shew something else that is probable , when the probability may be suppos'd as well as shewn , or shewn without an absurdity . Beaum. How can that be ? Freem . In our modern Tragedies , as well as the ancient , there are several concern'd besides the Actors ; I mean , besides the primary Actors ( for the Chorus was an Actor in the old Tragedy , and spoke like a Jury by its Fore-man ) but they have some better reason for their being concern'd , than purely their itch of medling ; nor do they express their concern in a way which is contrary to all Decorum : But I could give you an example of a Chorus , where the singing is not only absurd and unnatural , but destructive of the Poet's design . Beaum. That example I should be glad to hear . Freem . 'T is the Chorus at the end of the First Act in the Electra of Sophocles . Beaum. How does that which is sung by the Chorus there , run counter to the design of the Poet ? Freem . I will , in as few words as I can , give you the Fable of that Tragedy : Clytemnestra , with her Adulterer AEgystus , assassinates her Husband Agamemnon ; but her Son Orestes , by means of his Sister Electra , escapes : after a long absence from Mycenoe , he arrives secretly with Pylades and his Governour , surprizes Clytemnestra and her Adulterer , and revenges the Death of his Father . The Scene opens with the Arrival of Orestes before the Royal Palace of Mycenoe , at Break of Day , where they find Electra lamenting her sad Condition . The Chorus advise her not to be so loud , least she should be heard by AEgystus : yet as soon as ever she is gone , they grow infinitely louder , and in a Consort of Fifteen Voices , threaten Ruine to Clytemnestra and her Adulterer . 'T is true , they were told that AEgystus was not in the Palace ; but they knew very well , that Clytemnestra was there , and that AEgystus would be with her that very day . Now this coming after an unlucky Dream , which Clytemnestra look'd on as ominous ; which Dream is mentioned by this very Chorus : This Song must in all reason alarm Clytemnestra , and prevent the surprize which is design d by the Poet. Besides , how did this Chorus dare thus loudly and publickly to contemn Clytemnestra before her own Palace , at the very time that she had the Sovereign Power in her hands ? Beaum. I must confess , I am not able to give any Answer to this . Freem . I could shew you another gross absurdity in that very Tragedy , which is purely occasion'd by the Chorus . But pray go on to the next Argument . Beaum. I would fain know first , what that other absurdity is : a digression sometimes is as much worth the while as the main matter ; and I have always been pleas'd to hear of the Errors of any extraordinary Man , because it has still been the best support to me , under the mortifying Sence , which I have of my own Infirmities . Freem . The absurdity which I speak of , is , the discovery that Orestes makes of himself and his design , to Electra , in the Fourth Act of that Tragedy ( which he does in the presence of the Chorus ) ; so that he enrrusts a Secret upon which his Empire and Life depends , in the hands of Sixteen Women : For Orestes had no Friends on whose assistance he might rely , unless it were his Friend and his Governour , and consequently he had nothing to depend upon , but Secresie and Surprize , and a swilt Execution . Beaum. Has Dacier in his late Comment upon Electra , taken no notice of those two mistakes ? Freem . He has taken no notice at all of the first ; which I was extremely surpriz'd at : For that Error seems to me apparently to shock common Sence , I must confess , he has taken notice of the last , because he thought he could make a defence for it . But he has done it after such a manner , that I am sorry that a Man of Monsieur Dacier's Merit should talk at so poor a rate . Beaum. At how poor a rate ? Freem . I have considered that passage enough to give you the English of it Verbatim . There are several Persons , says he , of extraordinary Merit , who cannot endure to see Plots and Contrivances against the Lives of Princes , in the presence of a Chorus , pretending that this cannot be probable ; nay , that it cannot be natural . But these People , says he , ought to reflect upon the Conditions that are necessary to qualifie a Chorus rightly . The Chorus ought to be interested in the Action , as much as the principal Persons , they ought to be animated by the same Spirit , and all their Happiness ought to depend upon their Secrecy and their Fidelity . And when a Chorus is thus qualify'd , there is nothing which may not be said before it , without any violation to probability . And then it is as natural to see a Conspiracy concerted before it , as it is to behold a number of Conspirators closely consulting in some secure Retirement . The Chorus of Electra is of this nature , says he . Beaum. And is it ? Freem . Monsieur Dacier may imagine what he pleases , but there is nothing that the Chorus or Electra says , that may induce a Man to believe , that the fortune of the first depends upon the success of the last . But supposing it did , can any Man who has common Sence believe , that a Prince , as dlscreet as Orestes is represented by Sophocles , should entrust a Secret , upon which his Empire and Life depended , with fifteen Women , only upon the recommendation of his Sister , whose discretion he had no reason to have any mighty Opinion of ? But this has been a long digression , therefore pray proceed to the next Argument , which Mr. Wild brought for a Chorus . Beaum. A Tragedy , said he , is the imitation of an Action , which must be one and entire ; and therefore there must be a Chorus : For without it the Acts can never be joyn'd , there will be a solution of continuity , and Tragedy can never be one entire Body . Pray , what can you answer to this ? Freem . This , I must confess , is the Bugbear Argument ; but we shall do well enough with it . Then Mr. Wild and you fancy , that the Action breaks off every time that the Musick plays between the Acts ? Beaum. That is Mr. Wild's Opinion . Freem . But then I could tell you , that the Action is suppos'd to be continued behind the Scenes . Beaum. How can an Audience be sure of that ? Or when the Stage is left empty upon the end of the First Act , what grounds has a Company to believe the Actors will return ? What grounds , I say , can they have , but Custom , which is but a ridiculous Security at the best , and can be none at all , to one who sees a Tragedy acted the first time . Whereas a Chorus naturally keeps the Company together , till the return of the principal Actors . Freem . But sure , I should think , that an Audience between the Acts should have a much better Security for the return of the Actors than Custom , and that is from the nature of Tragedy , which is the imitation of an entire action ; that is , of an Action which has a beginning , a middle , and an end . Now this beginning and middle , are , according to Aristotle , Things that necessarily suppose something to follow . Beaum. When you talk at this rate , you suppose that every one who sees a Tragedy , understands the Rules of Aristotle . Freem . The Rules of Aristotle are nothing but Nature and Good Sence reduc'd to a Method : I may very well suppose , that every one who goes to see a Tragedy acted , goes with a hope , that he shall not see something absurd , and that he has common Sence to know , that a Tragedy would be very absurd , which should conclude abruptly , before the just end of the Action ; that is to say , before that part of it , which necessarily supposes nothing to follow it . Beaum. You say the Song of the Chorus is very absurd and unnatural ; but are not the Fiddles between the Acts a great deal more absurd and unnatural . A Poet in a Tragick Imitation , is always to have an eye to probability . But is it probable , that Oedipus , or any other Prince , should four times in the height and fury of his Passion , leave the Scene of Action , purely to give leave to a Company of Musitians to divert the Spectators four times , least they should be too much shaken by the progress of the terrible Action ? Would not such a one be a merry Monarch , a very complaisant Wretch ? Freem . Has not Dacier reason to be asham'd of this empty Sophistry , which may so easily be retorted upon himself ? For would it not be as ridiculous to make a King leave the Scene of the Action four times , only to give way to the People who compose the Chorus ? Any Man knows , that in Plays which have a Chorus , and in Plays which have none , 't is the necessity of the Action , which makes the Actors leave the Stage . For an Actor never leaves the Stage in a Tragedy which is writ as it should be , but when he has business in another place . But suppose I should grant you , that the Fiddles are more absurd than a Chorus , we do not pretend that our Musick makes a part of Tragedy , as you pretend that the Chorus does , and if there must be an absurdity , it had better been in Ornament than in Essentials . Beaum. But if your Musick does not make a part of the Modern Tragedy , how can it be said to be one body , when the parts of it are not united ? Freem . 'T is not the tagging of the Acts with a Chorus , that properly makes a Tragedy one Body , but the Unity of the Action ; and for my part , I cannot conceive , but that the Parts are sufficiently united , when the Action has a Beginning , a Middle , and an End , which have a mutual necessary and immediate dependance . But if it should be granted to Dacier , that the Fiddles between the Acts are absolutely destructive of the Unity of the Poem , he could never infer from it , that there ought to be a Chorus , when the mischief may be prevented another way . Beaum. What way is that ? Freem . Why , by not dividing Tragedy into Acts at all . Beaum. But several Inconveniences would follow from thence . Freem . I will easily grant it ; but any inconvenience ought to be admitted , rather than that grand absurdity a Chorus . For Poetry being an imitation of Nature , any thing which is unnatural strikes at the very Root and Being of it , and ought to be avoided like Ruine . Beaum. Well , thou hast here taken a great deal of pains to prove , that we ought not to re-establish the Chorus ; but you promis'd to shew me , that we ought not to banish Love neither . Freem . I have now an appointment which I am oblig'd to keep touch with . But when we next meet , I will not only engage to demonstrate that to you , but to shew you , that contrary to Mr. Rymer's assertion , Shakespear was a great Genius . Beaum. I shall be very glad , if you perform what you say . But prithee tell me before we part , your Opinion of Mr. Rymer's Judgment of our English Comedies . Freem . Never was there a more righteous Decree . We have particularly a Comedy which was writ by a Gentleman now living , that has more Wit and Spirit than Plautus , without any of his little contemptible Affectations ; and which , with the Urbanity of Terence , has the Comick force which the Great Caesar requir'd in him . Beaum. What Comedy can that be ? Freem . What indeed can it be , but the Plain Dealer ? Beaum. I find then , that you do not dissent from Mr. R — in every thing . Freem . No , I should be very sorry if I should do that ; for his Censures of Shakespear in most of the particulars , are very sensible and very just . But it does not follow , because Shakespear has Faults , that therefore he has no Beauties , as the next time we meet I shall shew you . Beaum. Well , till then , your Servant . Freem . Honest Ned , Adieu . THE END . ERRATA . In the LETTER to a Friend . FOR exerted Compassion . read excited Compassion . for warmer Sun r. warm a Sun , for desire r. desired . for following Dialogue r. following Dialegues . for is a base Envy r. it shews a base Envy . for greater Geniuses than they r. greater Geniuses in England , than they have in France . Dialogue the Third . PAge . 18. for Punegyricks r. Panegyrick . p. 19. for I desire you r. I defie you . p. 22 for gallant Man r. gallant Writer . for Sevire r. Saevire . p. 29. for caudque &c. r. caudaeque pilos ut equinae . Dialogue IV. p. 32. for Recine r. Racine . p. 34. for parties accessoine r. les parties accessoires furent devenues les principales . p. 36. for amici . r. amicis , for eratos r. iratos . ADVERTISEMENT . MIscellany Poems , &c. By Mr. Dennis , will be Publish'd this next Week . Printed for James Knapton , at the Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard .