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confined within a narrow circle of operations. Of all amusements therefore, the Theatre is the most profitable, for there we see important actions when we cannot act importantly ourselves. It affords us a renovated picture of life, a compendium of whatever is animated and interesting in human existence. The susceptible youth opens his heart to every elevated feeling; the philosopher finds a subject for the deepest reflections on the nature and constitution of man.'

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The next authority I shall quote is PHILIP MELANCTHON, in his "Epistola de legendis Tragædiis et Comœdiis;" the whole of which I strongly

* See Luther's Tishgespräche, Leipsig Edit. 1821, p. 137, For the above translation I am indebted to the kindness of Dr. Peithman, not wishing to trust my own imperfect knowledge of German. The original is as follows :-" Ich bin von Jugend auf ein Freund der Musik und des Dramas gewesen. Im Handeln bestehet das Leben; Thätigkeit ist der wahre Reiz des Lebens. Können wir selbst keine bedeutende Rolle in der Geschichte spielen, so ist es angenehm, die Thaten derjenigen aufgeführt zu sehen, denen das Schiksal grosse Rollen zu spielen, erlaubte. Die dramatishe Verfassung der Dialogen des Plato, beweiset hinreichend, dass diese Art der Belehrung von jeher fur die Menschen sehr anziehend gewesen seyn muss &c." And again p. 231, vol. ii. "Dramatishe Vorstellungen sind für den Philosophen eine unershöpfliche Quelle der Beobachtung;-der Geist der Jugend öffnet sich jedem gutem Gefühle, und ein gutes Schauspiel ist oft eben so belehrend als eine gute Predigt. Die Trauerspiele der Griechen waren ein Theil ihrer Staats Religion, &c."

recommend to the perusal of all who take an interest in the subject. The following passages I have selected, as the entire Epistle would occupy too much space, but its general tendency, as the reader will perceive, is equally favourable to the cause of the Theatre. "On frequent reflection, concerning the manners and discipline of mankind, I greatly admire the wisdom of the Greeks, who, at the commencement, exhibited tragedies to the people, by no means for the purpose of mere amusement, as is commonly thought, but much more on this account, that by the consideration of heinous examples and misfortunes, they might turn their rude and fierce spirits to moderation, and the bridling of undue desires; because in those accidents occuring to kings and cities, they displayed the weakness of man's nature, the inconstancy of fortune, the peaceful ends of the virtuous, and, on the other hand, the dreadful punishments of the wicked. In which it was an act of singular prudence to select arguments, not of vulgar, but of conspicuous and atrocious events, by the recital of which whole Theatres might be impressed with dread.-These things, therefore, were acted, beheld, read, and listened to, both by the philosophers and the people, not as mere romances, but as instructions for the government of life. Men were thus warned of the causes of human calamities, which in those examples they saw brought on and increased by de

praved desires.-I have spoken at some length on the design with which tragedies were invented, and how useful they were in directing manners and forming eloquence, because the examples both of manners and eloquence are more illustrious in tragedy than in comedy. But, although comedies were framed more for the purpose of sport and amusement, yet the design is almost the same. The old Comedy,* indeed, more closely resembles tragedy. In Aristophanes there are no conversa-. tions of harlots, lovers and panders, but examples of citizens, of whom some ruled the republic well, others disturbed and overturned it. And the different character of their inclinations, plans and final issues, is set forth for the purpose of warning the spectators or readers, what kind of men individual rulers should be, who are to be approved of, who imitated, and who to be shunned.-These things I have mentioned, that young men being instructed as to the designs with which tragedies and comedies were first written, and as to their utility, may read them the more willingly and more frequently. I can promise them, also, this result,

The school of Aristophanes is called the old Comedy; that of the writers who followed the Peloponnesian war, the middle Comedy; and that of Menander, the new Comedy. For a full account of all these various stages of the art, see "Donaldson's Theatre of the Greeks."

that the oftener they read them, the more they will admire them, and turn with the greater eagerness to their re-perusal."*

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Sæpe de hominum moribus et de disciplina cogitans, Græcorum consilium valdè admiror, qui initio Tragoedias populo proposuerunt, nequaquam ut vulgo existimatur tantum oblectationis causa, sed multo magis ut rudes ac fieros animos consideratione atrocium exemplorum et casuum flecterent ad moderationem, et frenandas cupiditates quod in illis Regum et urbium ⚫ eventibus imbecillitatem naturæ hominum, fortunæ inconstantiam, et exitus placidos justè factorum, e contra vero tristissimas scelerum pœnas ostendebant. Qua in re et hoc singularis prudentiæ fuit, eligere argumenta non vulgarium casuum, sed insignium et atrocium, quorum commemmoratione exhorrescarent tota Theatra.-Hæc igitur agebantur, spectabantur, legebantur, audiebantur, et a sapientibus et a populo, non ut erotica, sed ut doctrina gubernatione vitæ. Eventus isti commonefaciebant homines de causis humanarum calamitatum quas accersi et cumulari pravis cupiditatibus in his exemplis cernebant.-Dixi prolixius quo consilio excogitatae sint Tragoediæ, et quam sint utiles ad mores regendos et ad eloquentiam, quia et morum et eloquentiæ exempla sint illustriora in Tragoediis quam in Comoediis. Etsi autem Comœdiæ joci et oblectationis causa, magis ficta sunt, tamen consilium pene est simile. Equidem vetus Comoedia proprior est Tragœdiæ. Apud Aristophanem non sunt meretricum, amatorum, lenonum, colloquia, sed exempla civium, quorum alii Rempubl. bené rexerunt, alii turbarunt, ac everterunt. Et dissimilitudo voluntatum, consiliorum et eventuum proponitur ad commonefaciendos spectatores aut lectores, quales singuli gubernatores sint, qui probandi, qui imitandi, qui fugiendi.-Hæc commemoravi ut adolescentes commonefacti de consiliis quare primum scriptæ Tragœdiæ et Comœdiæ, et de earum utilitate libentius eas et sæpius legant. Promitto etiam eis hoc eventurum, ut quo legent sæpius, eo ma

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The learned ERASMUS, in his treatise, "De Studio bonarum Literarum," particularly recommends to the student, among other ancient authors, the productions of Euripides, Menander, Aristophanes, Terence, and Plautus. "What more profitable teacher of language," says he, "is there among the Latin writers than Terence? Pure, terse, and familiar in his style, and by the manner of his argument pleasing to youth.—And if any one seeks to add select comedies of Plautus, freed from obscenity, I have nothing to object."* We also learn from Erasmus, that the wise statesman and profound scholar, Sir THOMAS MORE, "in his youth both wrote and acted interludes;"† and Roper, in his Life, says that "More, when he lived as page with Archbishop Morton, as the plays were going on in the palace during the Christmas holidays, would often step upon the stage without previous notice, and exhibit a part of his own,

gis admiraturos et amaturos et lecturos eas avidius.”—Philippi Melanhconis Epistola de legendis Tragad. et Comod."

*Rursum inter Latinos quis utilior loquendi auctor quam Terentius? Purus, tersus et quotidiano sermoni proximus, tum ipso quoque argomenti genere jucundus adolescentiæ.Huic si quis aliquot selectas Plauti comœdias putet addendas, quæ vacent obscenitate, equidem nihil repugno." — Erasmi Epistolæ, page 525, fol.

† Adolescens comœdiolas et scripsit et egit.”—Erasm. Epist. 30, p. 535, fol.

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