A

DISSERTATION

UPON THE

GREEK COMEDY,

Tranflated from BRUMOY *.

ADVERTISEMENT.

CONCLUDE this work according to my pro

mife, 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 perusal 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 ingenious 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 feems 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 deftroyed 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 seen in its full extent and in proper fucceffion. The reader who skips 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 exhauft the fubject, and have fuppreffed rnany of my notions, that I might leave the judicious reader to please himfelf by forming fuch conclufions as I fuppofed him like to difcover, 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

DISSERTATION, &c.

I

Reasons why Ariftophanes may

be reviewed

without tranflating him entirely.

I. 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 licentiousness 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 reprefentation of that kind of writing, which was most esteemed 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 be partly reproached with an imperfect work, if, after having

may

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 some pieces of Aristophanes; not that I pretend to make large tranflations. The fame reasons which have hindered with respect 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 less uniform in all times, than the paffions which are moved by tragic compofitions; yet, if diversity of manners may fometimes difguife 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 pleasantry 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 lofe 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