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Show T H E COMPOSITION OF BALLETS. 229 and satire, pleasantly broke in upon the monotony that characterizes tragedy, particularly when written by mediocre authors. These interlocutors relieved the audience from that oppressive melancholy attendant upon tragic representation. But when tragedy was brought to perfection, an equal tone was preserved throughout, as it should be. Shakspeare, however, and his followers admitted this medley of tragedy and comedy; and, for the sake of a ridiculous variety, they allowed scenes of the most trivial, irrelevant, and extravagant nature; and it must have arisen from a desire to please the depraved taste of the vulgar of that period, that these authors fell into such errors. The plan and disposition of parts in the dramas of him who produced Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet form, as it were, an irregular order of architecture ; grandeur of design, however, frequently prevails. There is a want of harmony and classic uniformity of tone ; still there is more life and energy in the tragedies of the great English poet than in those of the principal part of French dramatists. There must be a movement of action caused by incident, if it is intended to raise interest or to move the passions. Sterne justly observes on the tragedies of certain French writers, that they resembled sermons. Voltaire, also, and D'Alembert tax the French tragedy with a want of action; and Blair is of the same opinion. Tragedy divested of scenic embellishment, and lifeless for want of incident, can engage the attention but slightly, and can awaken no interest. Voltaire availed himself of the good qualities to be found in English dramas, and, with great taste, transferred from the British ^Eschylus the beauties expanded over the tragedies of Hamlet, Othello, JuliusCasar, and some others, into his own productions. It is owing to this acquaintance with the theatres of foreign nations, that he has been enabled to give the drama of 15 |