QUESTIONS. By what is comedy sufficiently dis- 1 pairs, is like what? As in every sort of criminated from tragedy? What form composition, the perfection of art is to the province of the latter; and what is conceal art, how will a masterly writer the sole instrument of the former? give us his characters? What should What does comedy propose for its ob- the style of comedy be? Of the French ject? Of the general idea of comedy, rhyme, what is here observed ; and what what is observed ; and why? What is remark follows? What is one of the most doing real service to the world ; and difficult and one of the most imporwhat remark follows? At the same tant circumstances in writing comedy? time, what must be confessed; and What is here observed of our English why? What, therefore, have licentious comedies; what ones are mentioned, writers of the comic class, too often had and what is said of them? What remark in their power? Of this fault, what is follows; but how will its nature and spirit observed ? How is this illustrated ? Of be better understood ? With what reFrench, and of English comedy, what mark does our author commence; and is here observed ? How are our disqui- how is it probable comedy took its rise? sitions concerning comedy shortened? What three stages of comedy do critics To both these forms of dramatic com- distinguish among the Greeks? In what position, what is equally necessary ? did the ancient consist? Of this nature, What was shown to be the scope of all are whose plays, and what is said of these rules; and why is this necessary? them? What do they show? What are Why does this require a stricter obser- several of Aristophanes's plays ? Of vance of the dramatic rules in comedy, what are they full; what is the consethan in tragedy; and what are the quence; and with what dothey abound? great foundation of the whole beauty What are his characteristics? On many of comedy? Of the subjects of tragedy, occasions, what does he display ; but of what is here observed? Why does the his performances, what remark follows? reverse of this hold in comedy? How is Why do they seem to have been comthis illustrated ? At what should the posed for the mob? Of the treatment comic poet aim? What is not his busi-given by this comedian to Socrates, ness; what should he give us; and why? what is observed? What is remarked Of Plautus and Terence, what is of the chorus in his plays ? Soon afhere remarked; but what must be re-ter the days of Aristophanes, what took membered ? In after times, what had place? Why was the chorus also the Romans? Into what two kinds may banished? Then what arose, and what comedy be divided ; and of them, re- was it? How was it conducted; and spectively, what is observed? In which what remark follows? To them sucdo the French most abound; and what ceeded what, and what did the stage instances are given? In which do the then become? Of Menander what is English; and what remark follows ? observed ? What are the only remains In order to give this sort of composition which we now have of the new comeits proper advantage, what is requisite ? dy? For what is Plautus distinguished ? How is this remark fully illustrated ? | As he wrote at an early period, what is Of the action in comedy, what is re- the consequence? How does he open marked; and why? Hence, what is a his plays; and what are sometimes congreat fault? What are now justly con- founded? Of him, what is farther redemned and laid aside; and why? marked? Which of his plays have What remark follows? In the manage- been copied; and by whom? What is ment of characters, what is one of the said of Terence? Of what is his style most common faults of comic writers ? a model ? What is observed of his diaWherever ridicule is concerned, what logue; and what does he, leyond most is very difficult ? What instance is writers, possess? What is the general mentioned; and of it, what is remarked ? character of his morality; and what of the characters in comedy, what is remark follows? Hence, of what may observed; but what give too theatrical he be considered the founder ? In what, and affected an air to the piece? Why if in any thing, does he fail? How is has this become too common a resource this illustrated ? In order to form a perof comic writers ? How is this illustra- fect comic author, what would be reted? What instances are mentioned ; quisite ? and such production of characters by When we enter on the vicw of mo dern comedy, what is one of the first how is this irregularity conspensated ? objects which presents itself; and of it, At what are we surprised; and why? what is observed ? Who are the chief | What is said of Sir John Vanburgh ? Spanish comedians ? Of Lopez de How is this illustrated? Or Congreve, Vega, what is remarked? Of these what is observed ; and what is his chief plays, what is the nature ? At the same fault? How is this illustrated ? What time, what is generally admitted ? kind of a writer is Farquhar? Which What apology does he himself give, are his two best plays? Why does our for the extreme irregularity of his com- author say the least exceptionable? positiona ? What are the general cha- How is this fully illustrated ? Or the racters of the French comic theatre ? censure which our author has notv What writers of note has it produced ? passed, what is observed; and why? OC Moliere, what is wrther observed ? How do foreigners speak of this? How What does Voltaire boldly pronounce is this illustrated ? Or what, therefore, him? Of this decision, what is obser- is there no wonder, and what does he ved? Of what is Moliere always the say? To have what in his power, howsatirist; and what has he done? Whatever, is our author happy; and of what does he possess, and of what is he full ? have we at last become ashamed ? of his comedies in verse, what is ob- What remark follows? For this reforserved; and also of those in prose, mation, to what are we indebted; and what is remarked ? Together with of it what is observed ? From what those high qualities what defects has does it appear that this is not altogehe? Few writers, however, have done ther a modern invention? Of the nawhat, so perfectly as he has ? Which are ture of this composition, what is obseraccounted his two capital productions ? ved? What comedy have we in EngFrom the English theatre, what are we lish that approaches this character; naturally led to expect; and why? What and what is said of it? In Frencli, afford full scope to the display of singu- what are there; and name them ? larity of character, and to the indulgence When this form of comedy first aof humour? What is the case in France? peared in France, how was it received ? Hence, what follows; but what is ex- Why was it objected to; and what tremely unfortunate ? How does it ap- was said of it ? But of this, what is obpear that the first age of Englise come- served ? Why should not all comedies dy was not infected by this spirit? Or be formed on one precise model ? Oi Shakspeare's general character, par- serious and tender comedy, what is farticularly, what is observed? What is ther remarked? But when may it prove also said of Jonson? What is remarked both an interesting and an agreeof the plays of Beaumont and Fletcher; able species of dramatic writing ? If it but in general, with what do they become insipid and drawling, to what abound? How have these comedies be- must this be imputed ? What may alcome too obsolete to be very agreeable; ways be esteemed a mark of society and why? With what comedies is this, advancing in true politeness? Repeat especially the case; and for what reason? the closing remark. Of Plautus, what is here observed ; and what is a high proof of Shakspeare's genius? When did licentiousness seize ANALYSIS. on comedy for its province? Who then Comedy. became the hero of every comedy; and! 1. The nature of comedy. upon what was the ridicule thrown ? 2. Rules respecting it. At the end of the play, what common 3. The scene and subjects. 4. The different kinds of comedy. ly took place ? But for what is he set 5. The characters. up throughout it, and what is the conse-l 6. Thc style. quence? What remark follows; and 7. The origin of comedy. how long did this spirit prevail upon 8. Greek comedy. the comic stage? What is said of Dry A. The different stages of it. 9. Spanish comedy. den? As he sought to please only, A. Lopez de Vega. what was the consequence? Since his 10. French comedy. time, who have been the writers of A. Moliere. greatest note? Of Cibber, what is re 11. English comedy. A. Shakspeare-Beaumont-Fletcher, marked? Of the former, what is ob B. Dryden-Cibber-Vanburgh-Conserved ; and what is said of the latter? greve. To wliat if it liable; and wri:y? Butl c. A new species of comedy. · INDE X. Accents, thrown farther back from the ter- that mountain, 46. And on that by Sir Ages, four, peculiarly fruitful in learned Akenside, his comparison between sublimi. imperfect state, 63. And by ancient ora Instance of his happy allusion to figures, led to the invention of, 76. Remote ob. arbitrary limitation, 513. These pauses phabets of different nations derived from in represent tion ought to fall proper one common source, 77. Allegory, explained, 168. Anciently a fa. tions, 169. Allegorical personages im. Pleasures of the Imagination, 31. His Ambiguity in style, from whence it pro- tically examined, 511, 518, 522, 524. of knowledge favourable to the moderns, The efforts of genius greater anong the Importance of their position in a sen now more diffused, 392. Antithesis, in language explained, 188. that poem, 489. The subject, ibid. Ac. Apostrophe, the nature of this figure ex. Arbuthnot, character of his epistolary writ. Architecture, sublimity in, whence it arises, Arguments, the proper management of in 4K 69 tic methods, 354. Arrangement of, 355. of vague application, 50. Colours, ibid Are not to be too much multiplied, 357. Figures, 51. Hogarth's line of beauty human countenance, 53. Works of art, composition, whence derived, 27. His sign in our ideas of beauty, 54. Beauty Biography, as the class of historical com- Blackmore, Sir Richard, remarks on his sormed in the procession of bringing it Blackwell, his character as a writer, 210. Boileau, his character as a didactic poet, Bolingbroke, instances of inaccuracy in his from, 129. A beautiful metaphor from, importance in the English language il. cian and philosopher, 160). His general character as a writer, 211, 383. Bossu, his definition of an epic poem, 470. 384. Instructions for the regulation of, Wiad, 471. Bossuei, M. instances of apostrophes to tions, 179, note. Conclusion of his fu- Tillotson, 142. Critical examination of Britain, Great, not eminent for the study France in this respect, 281. quence of the pulpit and the bar, 313, 28. Why the most ancient afford the Buchanan, his eharacter as an historian, C. Cadmus, account of his alphabet, 76. ners of a people, 417. Were the first as a standard of sublime writing, ibid. painting, 404, note. His character of more confined than the pleadings before Cameons, critical examination of his Lusi. Instructions for pleaders, 301, 350. Casimir, his character as a lyric poet, 446. matic representations, 514. of the disgrace of the Roman army there, Cellic language, its antiquity and charac- ed from that of sublimity, 49. Is a term found, ibid. Poetry, its character, 424 Characters, the dangers of labouring them Comedy, how distinguished from tragedy, too much in historical works, 405. The 506, 533. Rules for the conductor, ibid. The characters in, ought to be of our Two kinds of, ibid. Character; ought to be distinguished, 535. Style, 536. origin of tragedy, ibid. Inconveniences nish comedy, 538. French comedy, 539. troduced on the modern theatre, 503. from the era of the restoration, 541. General remarks, 544. 158. The nature of this figure explain- Composition. See Literary composition. tinction between amare and diligere, 108. embarrassed, 513. General character D. of his dialogues,412 His epistles, 415. soning, false eloquence, 286. 120. His character as an historian, 407. languages, 84. Whether cases or pre- Which of them are most useful and settled beyond controversy, 388. The Deities, heathen, probable cause of the number of, 173. Delivery, the importance of, in public speak- tion, 305. His cause undertaken by Ci. in, 366. The powers of voice, ibid. Emphasis, 369. Pauses, 370. Decla fectation, 376. |