A

DISSERTATION

UPON THE

GREEK COMEDY,

Tranflated from BRUMOY *.

ADVERTISEMENT.

CONCLUDE this work according to my promife, with an account of the Comic Theatre, and intreat the reader, whether a favourer or an enemy of the ancient Drama not to pafs his cenfure upon the authors or upon me, without a regular perufal of

* Published by Mrs. Lennox in 4to, 1759. To the third volume of this work the following Advertisement is prefixed. "In this "volume, the Discourse on the Greek Comedy, and the General «Conclufion, are tranflated by the celebrated author of the Ram"bler. The Comedy of the Birds, and that of Peace, by a young "Gentleman. The Comedy of the Frogs, by the learned and in"genious Dr. Gregory Sharpe. The Discourse upon the Cyclops, by John Bourrya, Efq. The Cyclops, by Dr. Grainger, au thor of the tranflation of Tibullus." E.

VOL. III.

B

this

this whole work. For, though it seems to be compofed of pieces of which each may precede or follow without dependance upon the other, yet all the parts, taken together, form a fyftem which would be destroyed by their disjunction. Which way fhall we come at the knowledge of the ancients fhews, but by comparing together all that is left of them? The value and neceffity of this comparison determined me to publish all, or to publish nothing. Befides, the reflections on each piece, and on the general taste of antiquity, which, in my opinion, are not without importance, have a kind of obfcure gradation, which I have carefully endeavoured to preferve, and of which the thread would be loft by him who fhould flightly glance fometimes upon one piece, and fometimes upon another. It is a ftructure which I have endeavoured to make as near to regularity as I could, and which must be feen in its full extent and in proper fucceffion. The reader who fkips here and there over the book, might make a hundred objections which are either anticipated, or answered in those pieces which he might have overlooked. I have laid fuch stress upon the connection of the parts of this work, that I have declined to exhaust the fubject, and have fuppreffed rnany of my notions, that I might leave the judicious reader to please himself by forming fuch conclufions as I fuppoled him like to discover, as well as myself. I am not here attempting to prejudice the reader by an apology either for the ancients, or my own manner. I have not claimed a right of obliging others to determine, by my opinion, the degrees of efteem which I think due to the authors of the Athenian Stage; nor do I think that their reputation in the prefent time, ought

ought to depend upon my mode of thinking or expreffing my thoughts, which I leave entirely to the judgment of the public.

A

I.

DISSERTATION, &c.

I

Reasons why Ariftophanes may be reviewed

without tranflating him entirely.

WAS in doubt a long time, whether I fhould meddle at all with the Greek comedy, both, because the pieces which remain are very few, the licentioufnefs of Aristophanes, their author, is exorbitant, and it is very difficult to draw from the performances of a fingle poet, a just idea of Greek comedy. Befides, it feemed that tragedy was fufficient to employ all my attention, that I might give a complete representation of that kind of writing, which was most efteemed by the Athenians and the wiser Greeks*, particularly by Socrates, who fet no value upon comedy or comic actors. But the very name of that drama, which in polite ages, and above all others in our own, has been fo much advanced, that it has become equal to tragedy, if not preferable, incline me to think that I may be partly reproached with an imperfect work, if, after having

There was a law which forbad any judge of the Areopagus to write comedy.

gone as deep as I could into the nature of Greek tragedy, I did not at least sketch a draught of the comedy.

I then confidered, that it was not wholly impoffible to furmount, at least in part, the difficulties which had stopt me, and to go fomewhat farther than the learned writers *, who have published in French fome pieces of Aristophanes; not that I pretend to make large tranflations. The fame reasons which have hindered with refpect to the more noble parts of the Greek drama, operate with double force upon my prefent fubject. Though ridicule, which is the business of comedy, be not lefs uniform in all times, than the paffions which are moved by tragic compofitions; yet, if diversity of manners may fometimes disguise the paffions themselves, how much more greater change will be made in jocularities? The truth is, that they are fo much changed by the courfe of time, that pleafantry and ridicule become dull and flat much more easily than the pathetic becomes ridiculous.

That which is commonly known by the term jocular and comic, is nothing but a turn of expreffion, an airy phantom, that must be caught at a particular point. As we lofe this point, we lose the jocularity, and find nothing but dulnefs in its place. A lucky fally, which has filled a company with laughter, will have no effect in print, because it is fhewn fingle and feparate from the circumftance which gave it force. Many fatirical jefts, found in ancient books, have had the fame fate; their fpirit has evaporated by time, and have left nothing to us but infipidity.

* Madame Dacier, M. Boivin.

None

None but the moft biting paffages have preferved their points unblunted.

But, befides this objection, which extends univerfally to all translations of Ariftophanes, and many allufions of which time has deprived us, there are loofe expreffions thrown out to the populace to raise laughter from corrupt paffions, which are unworthy of the curiofity of decent readers, and which ought to reft eternally in proper obfcurity. Not every thing in this infancy of comedy was excellent, at least it would not appear excellent at this diftance of time, in comparison of compofitions of the fame kind, which lie before our eyes; and this is reason enough to fave me the trouble of tranflating, and the reader that of perufing. As for that small number of writers who delight in those delicacies, they give themselves very little trouble about tranflations, except it be to find fault with them; and the majority of people of wit, like comedies that may give them pleasure, without much trouble of attention, and are not much difpofed to find beauties in that which requires long deductions to find it beautiful. If Helen had not appeared beautiful to the Greeks and Trojans but by force of argument, we had never been told of the Trojan war.

On the other fide, Ariftophanes is an author more confiderable than one would imagine. The History of Greece could not pafs over him, when it comes to touch upon the people of Athens; this alone might procure him refpect, even when he was not confidered as a comic poet. But when his writings are taken into view, we find him the only author from whom may be drawn a juft idea of the comedy of his