Moses and of David. The three principal classes of poetic diction, in which originated all the different species of poetry, are the epic, the lyric, and the dramatic-of which, the epic has been termed the poetry of narrative, the lyric, the poetry of song, and the dramatic, the poetry of action."Each of these classes of poetry in its most complete form, became appropriated, among the Greeks, to particular tribes. The epic was formed and cultivated among the Ionics, the lyric, among the Dorics and Eolics, and lastly, the dramatic among the Attics. Hence, it arose, that each of these classes, in language, metre and adaptation to music and song, united the characters, and, more or less of the dialect of the tribe in which it was chiefly cultivated, to the peculiarities of its own nature." The most ancient of these forms is generally allowed to have been the epic, as narrative is one of the first and simplest efforts of the mind. In relation to Greek poetry it undoubtedly was the precursor and source of the rest-the lyric, having, in Greece, to a great extent, derived its poetical language and forms from the epic, and the dramatic being an amplification of the lyric. For the basis of the drama was the chorus, which was essentially lyric, and the scenes were superadded, as a means of varying the exhibitions, by Thespis, in the age of Solon. In a universal history of poetry, however, the drama, might, we are inclined to think, claim the priority. The book of Job is probably the oldest preserved production of the human mind, and it evidently belongs to this class. Herder has styled it 'an epic representation of human nature;' but with all deference for so high an authority, we would rather entitle it, a dramatic representation of human nature. What essential feature of the drama does it not possess? From the third chapter it is interlocutory to the conclusion. The introductory narration forms the prologue, and the concluding, the exode to the whole ;-while the striking correspondence between the "beautiful elegies" (or as they might, with equal propriety, be termed, beautiful odes,) which occasionally relieve the dialogue, and the chorus of Greek tragedy, completes the resemblance. Take, for example, the following, which, had it formed one of the choral odes of a Greek tragedy, would have been applauded as an unrivalled specimen of tragic beauty: "Man that is born of a woman, is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh up as a flower, and is cut down, He fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not." The book of Job, viewed as a drama, contains, it is true, but little action;-quite as much, however, as the Prometheus Vinctus of Eschylus, during the whole episode of which the suf ferer remains bound and motionless, while the visits of the Oceanides, Oceanus, Io and Mercury, form the only vicissitudes of the piece, the whole dialogue of which consists of their respective consolations or reproaches with the replies of Prometheus. In fact, several of the best Greek tragedies contain but a single incident and the art and power of those great masters is principally displayed in substituting the vicissitude and progress of thought and passion for that of external incident. The three varieties of dramatic composition among the ancient Greeks were tragedy, comedy, and satyrs. Of these the earliest was comedy, though brought to its perfection at a later period than tragedy. In describing its origin, we shall, at the same time, describe the common origin of all the forms of the drama. The dramatic art "took its birth in the bosom of tumultuous pleasures and the extravagancies of intoxication. In the festivals of Bacchus hymns were sung which were the offspring of the true or feigned ecstasies of a poetical delirium. These hymns while they described the fabulous conquests of Bacchus, gradually became imitative-and, in the contests of the Pythian games, the players on the flute who entered into competition, were enjoined by an express law to represent successively the circumstances which preceded, accompanied and followed the victory of Apollo over Typhon."* In this early stage of the art, Susarion, and shortly after, Thespis appeared; the former enacting his rude and disconnected comedies on a kind of stage, the latter, making the first attempts at tragic representation on a cart― Dicitur et plaustris vexisse poëmata Thespis. Such was the basis of the drama. Its first materials were the wild effusions of the intoxicated votaries of Bacehus ;-and as it took its rise in connection with the festivals of Bacchus, it retained this connection throughout the subsequent ages of Grecian history. In this rude state, it was tolerated only in the country; being excluded from the city, alike by the taste and the laws;-to the former of which its rustic coarseness was offensive, while by the latter, its unbounded license was condemned as injurious to the public morals. • Barthelemy. After a long infancy, this species of the drama presented itself in a new and highly improved form in Sicily. Instead of a succession of scenes, without connection or tendency, the philosopher Epicharmus introduced an action, all the parts of which had a dependence on each other, and conducted his subject, without wandering from it, through a just extent, to a determinate end. Comedy was soon after introduced to the Athenians, and was received by that lively and ingenious, but licentious people," with the same transports which they would have testified at the news of a victory." Though an exotic, its rapid development soon proved how congenial was the soil to which it had been transplanted, and that Attic genius and taste were alike requisite to execute and appreciate it in its highest perfection. It soon became an object of attention and competi tion to the poets of Athens, and some of them speedily attained a distinction in it which threw into the shade all previous attempts. Such were, among the more ancient, Magnes, Cratinus, Crates, Pherecrates, Eupolis and Aristophanes; all of whom flourished in the age of Pericles. But in its moral character and tendency, comedy never underwent any material improvement. Divested of its grossness, that it might adapt itself to the advanced and polished condition of Athenian society, it was rendered the more dangerous by this refinement. It soon became idolized by a population, equally distinguished by its vivacity and licentiousness; and, attracting all classes to its representation, its corrupting influence was the more extensive and irresistible. The comic writers of Athens were regarded by all wise and good men as the pests of society. This remark, indeed, is not to be received without limitation. Sometimes, undoubtedly, the lash of satire was inflicted on the vices and follies of the time; on the insolent pride and vulgar ostentation of those who had suddenly risen to fortune and power. In a community like that of Athens, where all things were under the immediate and unchecked control of the capricious multitude, whose favors were much oftener won by popular arts and concessions than by real merit, yet whose vivacity rendered them willing to bear the keenest rebuke, provided it only excited their mirth while it exposed their follies, the political influence of comedy was doubtless wholesome and necessary. The comedians attacked the powerful demagogues of their day with astonishing intrepidity, and their wit and ridicule were often irresistible, where wisdom and eloquence would all have reasoned and thundered in vain. Aristophanes, in his comedy of the knights, attacked and completely overthrew the mob-tyrant Cleon, while in the very height of his power. So universally dreaded was this man, that no actor could be induced to personate him, and no artist to model a mask after his likeness. Aristophanes, however, not to be discouraged, brought forward his piece and personated the formidable demagogue himself. The same part in his comedy entitled, "the Peace," happily exposes the absurd and self-destroying passion of his countrymen for war. Nor is it to be denied that the comic poets of Greece, in common with the most licentious writers in ages, could appreciate and extol the charms of virtue as an abstract conception. We meet with detached passages, especially, in the choral odes, of exquisite beauty, the moral effect of which is purely good. But occasional effusions of this sort will neither counteract nor atone for the influence of a work, the general character and tendency of which is licentious. And that such was the case with the comic drama of Athens is equally evident from the testimony of contemporaneous writers and from the comedies themselves which have descended to our times. To judge from some of the comedies of Aristophanes (the only originals we possess,) or from the Eunuchus of Terence or the Asinasia of Plautus, (both translated from Greek poets, the first, from Menander, the second, from Demophilus,) we can form but one opinion of the auditory which could be pleased with such disgusting indecencies, or of the poet who could pander to an appetite so abominable. "Paucas reperiunt poetae comoedias, ubi boni meliores fiant," "Poets have composed few comedies by which good men are made. better." Such is the concession of one who had before him the whole range of ancient comedy, and was, therefore, incomparably better fitted to judge of its moral spirit than we can possibly be, and who was, himself, in fact, one of its greatest masters. The same poet, while he invites the audience to applaud the chastity of his comedy of "the Captives" and its freedom from all indecent allusions, holds it up as an exception to the general immorality of comedy.* Profecto expediet, fabulae huic operam dare; * See the Prologue and Catena to the Captives of Plautus. SECOND SERIES, VOL. I. NO. II. 58 Neque spurcidici insunt versus innumerabiles; "It will be To your advantage to attend this play; "O no. This play is founded on chaste manner, Few of that sort of plays our poets find."-Thornton. The fragments which we possess of ancient comedy convince us that the concession of Plautus is equally candid and true. "If we peruse these pieces, we shall be convinced that the sole object of their authors was to please the multitude; and that, to obtain this end, they considered all means as indifferent; and employed, by turns, parody, allegory and satire, abounding in images and language the most gross and obscene." They were, also, a kind of legalized slanderers ;—or rather, slanderers beyond the reach and power of the law, being protected by the enthusiastic attachment of the lower classes in "that fierce democracy." The shafts of their ridicule were as often levelled "at errors as at vices," and the most illustrious reputations were not unfrequently made their peace-offerings to the malignity of the multitude. Thus it happened that Socrates, whose pure and benevolent life could have excited, even in a bad mind, no other evil passion than that of envy, was held up to ridicule in "the Clouds" of Aristophanes; and Euripides, was, through his whole life, and even after his death, an object of persecution to the same poet. The laws, and the most intelligent and virtuous citizens strenuously opposed these disorders, but in vain. Successive decrees were passed for the regulation of comedy; one forbidding personalities; another, interference in public affairs; a third, entirely prohibiting the acting of comedy. But these laws were soon either repealed or disregarded, as all laws must be which are not sustained by public opinion. Though the chorus and the mask were laid aside from the alarm and dissatisfaction of the wealthier citizens, who refused to contribute the means of these decorations, and thus, a temporary check was given to |