PT 2387 A3S7sZb Ai Ai 01 01 0! 1 i 4: 1 \ 7 2 3 Bardsley Critical Remarks on Pizarro THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES CRITICAL REMARKS ON PIZARRO, A TRAGEDY, TAKEN FROM THE GERMAN DRAMA OK KOTZEBUE, AND ADAPTED TO THE ENGLISH S TA l BY RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS ON" THE SUBJECT OF THE DRAMA. BY SAMUEL ARGENT BARDSLEY, M. D. LONDON: I E D f O R T . C: A D F L L , JUNIOR, AND \V . D A V ! f , S , IN THE S T R A .\ D . 1800. (R. Noble, Priuter, OluEiiley.j A' >7.Zl ADVERTISEMENT. X H E following Critical Remarks were written on the fpur of the occafion, to fulfil a duty impofed on the Author as Member of a Literary Society*. They were read and difcufled at two meetings of that Society, at a time when provin- cial curiofity (which had flood on the tiptoe of expe6lation) was firfl gratified with the reprefentation of Pizarro. If the firfl appearance of this bright Star in the Theatrical Hemifphere aflo- nifhed the Inhabitants of the Metropolis (accuflomed to marvellous fights), and drew them forth in crowds, night after night, to contemplate its dazzling Splen- dour ; no wonder then it was gazed upon with equal, if not fuperior, rapture, by its planet-flruck admirers in a provincial * Literary and Philofophical Society of Manchefter. A 2 Town. 48954.5 EiNGUSa IV ADVERTISEMENT. Town. Like Aaron's Rod, the Tragedy of Pizarro fwallowed up every other Competitor. It not only took fole pof- feffion of the Theatre, but alfo intruded itfelf into every private Society. Indeed, the high degree of Interefl: which this Drama excited in the place of the Author's refidence, has been his chief inducement for publifhing the prefent Critique. He has purpofely avoided entering into any comparifon between the refpe6live Merits and Defe6ts of the original German Au- thor and his Adapter. The following Remarks apply folely to • the Drama adapted to the Englifh Stage and publiflied by Mr. Sheridan, who, in his Dedication, feems to dwell with no fmall degree of complacency on tlie fuc- cefs of his adopted favourite. In jiifiice to himfelf, and the Author of an ingenious " Critique on the Tragedv of Pizarro*,"" the Writer of the following criticifm is under the neccffity of avowing * A Critique on Pizarro. Publillicd h\ \V. Milkr, Old Bond Street. llis ADVERTISEMENT. V his entire ignorance of the exiftence of fuch a performance, until his own had been prepared for the Prefs. That a coincidence may be obferved between feveral of the Remarks in that " Critique" and the prefent Work, cannot be denied. But this coincidence relates almoft folely to the more obvious defefts of Pizarro, and to the circumflance of pointing out their abfurdity by expofmg them to the fhafts of the Adapter's own Ridicule. It is prefumed that, in other refpefts, the two performances fo mate- rially differ, as to juftify the Author in fub- mitting to the Public thefe further Stric- tures on a Tragedy, which has taken al- moft entire polTeffion of the Stage, and gone through numerous editions from the Prefs. Manchefter, April 14th, i8co. CRITICAL REMARKS, &c. Refpicere exemplar vitas tnorumque jubebo Doftum imitatorera, et vivas hinc ducere voces*." HoRAT. de Arte Poetica. IT is the opinion of an elegant Writer and judicious Critic f, that a perfed: Tragedy is the higheft effort of poetical genius. Indeed the difficulty of attaining excellence in dramatic compofition, is manifefted by the fmall number of Tragic pieces, which, lince the origin of the Drama, have been fandtioned by critical and univerfal approbation. Our own Age and Country afford too many proofs of the truth of the above remark. Me- * " Then let a Ikilful writer fcan " The life and charafter of man, " And from that genuine fource difpenfe " Words that accord with Truth and Senle." Boscawen's Horace. t Addifon. diocrity [ 8 ] diocrity in this delightful and inftruclive fpecies of compofition is but feldom attained. Yet, if popular applaufe from the crowded benches of a Theatre, and rapid and multiplied editions from the Prefs *, were fufficient proofs of the real excellence of dramatic writing, the works of former days muft " hide their diminifh'd heads." To the German Mufe we are indebted for this wonderful revolution of the Drama. Perhaps not one of the productions of the German School has excited more attention and been crowned with more applaufe, than the fub- jedt of the prefent criticifm. As the joint pro- duction of Two of the moft celebrated dramatic Writers of Germany and England (Kotzebue and Sheridan) it not only roufed a fpirit of uni- verfal curiofity, but likewife, from its flattering reception, challenged the fcrutiny of general criticifm. I truft then, that the celebrity of the per- formance, and the influence it may have on pub- lic tafte, will apologize for entering, fomewhat at length, into an analyfis of its various merits and defects. I propofe to confider this Drama under the following heads : — ifl^. The Fable ; and the compofition, or ar- rangeinent, of the Incidents. 2d, The Characters and Manners. * I'izarro has gone through Fifteen Editions. 3d. C 9 ] 3d, The Sentiments. 4th, The Style. 5th, The Moral. The Fable. IT is not my intention to difcufs minutely the queftion, whether the Fable of the Tragic Drama fhould be founded in ficlion, or derived from hiftorical fadts ? The Author having preferred the latter, I conlider him as happy in the choice of his fubjed:. He muft poflefs a wonderful fhare of invention and very uncommon in- genuity, who, at this period, could ftrike out any thing novel and interefting from Grecian or Roman Hiftory. The Romans for the moft part copied the Grecian Tragedies, or founded their Fables on the Hiftory of Greece. The early prejudice imbibed in favour of thofe Gods of their idolatry, the Heroes of Greece and Rome, has led Writers, in fucceeding ages, to adopt their characters and exploits, with an equal degree of fondnefs, as fit fubjedls for the Tragic Mufe. The Romances of the middle ages have alfo furnifhed plots to fo many of our dramatic Writers, that no fmall difficulty, at this period, would occur, in feledling any worthy of adoption from a fource fo nearly exhaufted. The [ 10 ] The sera of the conqueft of Peru is neither too remote nor too familiar ; but has acquired that venerable caft and air, which Tragedy de- mands, and Time alone can give. The dif- covery of a new World, and the ertablifhment of a vaft Empire by an obfcure adventurer, are circumftances well calculated to excite attention and command admiration. But, in the ftruc- ture of his Fable, the Author has grofsly vio- lated hiftorical probability. I need not enlarge here on the particulars of his deviation from well known hiftorical fadls. If we wifli to be ac- quainted with the tranfaclions of Pizarro, we need only to confult the luminous pages of Ro- bertfon. We fhall there find, that the timid and wretched Peruvians, diftracted by civil broils, as well as vanquiflied by the fuperior Arms and Courage of the Spaniards, bent under the iron yoke of Pizarro and his blood-ftained followers. Inftead of Atahualpa (commonly written Ataliba) being the conqueror of Pizarro, he became a royal Puppet in his hands ; and, when intereft and danger fecmed to demand the facrifice, he was baR^ly condemned, after a mock trial, to be burnt alive : but by the tender mer- cies of his judges, h' ; pijnifhment was commuted to ftrangling. With rcfpcdl to the introduction of thofe Charadlers v, hich Hiftory is lilent upon, or a defcription of circumftances connected with the C " ] the main ftory and fupported by probability*, the dramatic Poet has free fcope for the exercife of his invention. If the Tragic Writer were to re- late every circumftance juft as it occurred, with hiftoric fidelity, that unity of adion, or Ikilful arrangement of the Incidents, which conftitute a regular drama, would be unattainable by any exertion of his art. But there are limits to be placed to the exercife of this poetical licence. Fidlion muft not predominate over Truth. Their happy union, as the Roman Critic ob- ferves, mult be the Poet's objedt : " Atque ita mentitur, fie veris falfa remifcet, ** Primo ne medium, medio ne difcrepet imumt." Ariflotle, in his Art of Poetry, notices : " That in Tragedy it often happens, we are con- '' tented with one or two Names that are " known; and all the reft are invented. It is * Abbe du Bos in his Critical Reflections ftates, " That a Tragic Poet afts contrary to his art, when he tranfcfreffes in too grois a manner, againfh liiflory, Chronology, or Geography, by advancing fafts that are contradifted bv thefe Sciences.'" + " While to fuch points his fiftion tends, " So aptly Truth with Falfehood blends. " That all the parts to one defign, " Beginning, middle, end, combine." Horace's Art of Poetry: Bofcawcn. *' not [ " ] " not therefore neceflary always fcrupuloujly to '' follow known Fables, from whence the fub- "jedis of Tragedies are generally drawn." To heighten the pleafure arifing from Verifi- militude, and thus more powerfully to affedl our feelings, a dramatic Author fcledls fome interefl- ing portion of Hiftory, as the foundation of his llibjedl. He certainly gains fome advantages by this method ; but he alfo expofes himfelf to inconvenicncies of perhaps equal moment. He muft be fettered by the trammels of hiftoric fad:s. He cannot violate thefe truths without exciting a difguft, equal to the pleafure com- municated by an adherence to hiftorical evi- dence. It is within the limits of Probability, that an Elvira might have accompanied Pizarro in his adventures in the new World, and yet Hiftory be filent on that head. Much lefs can any objection be urged againft Rolla and Cora, with many other fidlitious Peruvian Characters *. But when Alonzo, not known in Hiftory, teaches the Peruvians to worft the Spaniards in pitched Battles ; flays their Commander ; fettles the Pe- ruvian King upon his throne ; and finally expels the Spaniards from all their conquefts ; — ^inftead of yielding paflive acquiefcence to the monftrous * Marmontel, in liis delightful fiftion of the '' Inca of Peru,'' funiiOied thefe additional Charafters, fable. [ '3 ] fable, we turn alide, and cry out with the Poet, ** Quodcunque oftendis mihi fie, incredulusodi*." ♦ Having ftated obje(flions to the Author's manner of treating the Subjedl, I proceed to confider the compofition or arrangement of the Incidents f. * " Such Scenes we ne'er admit as true, " And, difbelieving, hate to view." Horace. + Ariflotle in his Art of Poetry feems to confider the compofition of the Fable as the moft eflTential part of a Tragedy, as requiring Invention (with him) the charac- teriftic of a Poet. Befides as he confiders Tragedy to be properly an imitation not of Men, but of their Aftions, Lives, good or ill Fortune, the more naturally and faith- fully thefe are reprefented in Aftion, the more they will be likely to excite the fympathy and improve the paffions of the Speftators. No better reafon can be given for appealing to the Dogmas of eftablifhed Critics, fuch as Ariftotle and Ho- race, than what is contained in the following remarks of an elegant Critic : " Rules themfelves are indeed nothing but an appeal to experience, conclufions drawn from wide and general obfervation of the aptnefs of certain means to pro- duce thofe impreflions. It may be affirmed univerfally of all didaftic writing, that it is employed in referring particu- lar fafts to general principles. General principles them- felves can often be referred to others more general ; and thefe again carried flill higher, till we come to a fingle principle in which all the reft are involved. When this is done. Science of every kind has attained its higheft per- feclion." HuRD. In [ H ] In treating on this part of the Subjecl, it is not my intention to give a regular fketch of the whole plot of this drama ; but chiefly to point out what I conlider to be irregular and incon- fiftent in the Compofition and arrangement of the various Incidents. The violation of the Dramatic Unities of Adion, Time, and Place, was confidered by the ancient Critics as an in- fuperable obftacle to the Merit or Succefs of a dramatic Compofition. But, happily for the intereft of the drama, our own Countr}^ has pro- duced dramatic Writers, who, unfettered by ge- neral Rules, have fo overpowered the impaf- iioned feelings of their Audience, as to tranfport them with rapidity over the boundlefs extent of time and fpace. The truly infpired Poet may fafely negledl the Dogmas of rigid criticifm. He appeals to a higher Tribunal — to Senti- ment *. * " Ille per extentum funem mihi poffe videtur " Ire poeta, meum qui peftus inaniter angit, " Irritat, mulcet, falfis terroribus implet, " Ut magus ; et modo me Thebis, modoponit Athenis." HORAT. " That Bard I deem of higheft powers poffeft, " Who with fictitious anguifh racks my breaft : " Who irritates and loothes, whole magic charms '• Fill me with terrible, though falfe, alarms : " Who bears me, as he fhifts the Scene, at will " ToThebes or Athens by his wond'rous fkill."' BOSCAWEN. In I '5 J In Pizarro, the three dramatic unities have not occupied an equal degree of the Author's atten- tion. The Adion, I conceive, not to be fuf- ficiently fimple. Yet, upon the whole, the epifodical parts are fubfervient to the 'main de- fign. That unity of Adion fo rigidly in- filled upon by the Greeks, and followed by fome of the French Writers, would not fuit a Britifh Audience. Nor indeed is the pleafure arifing from the introdudlion of a variety of Charadlers, force of Contraft, and furprize of Incident, to be facrificed to the prefervation of ftridl unity in the adion of the drama. If the adlion be not interrupted, nor the main ftory unnecelTarily broken by extraneous matter, the Poet may be permitted to diverfify his plot, by introducing a variety of Characters and Inci- dents. Undoubtedly, in Pizarro the Incidents become crowded, efpecially in the laft Ad; : And indeed the Adion is fo much confufed, by the Clang of Arms and Shouts of Battle, that the Author may boaft, with Mr. Bays in the Re- hearfal, that " It fhall Drum, Trumpet, Shout " and Battle, egad, with any of the moft war- " like Tragedies, either ancient or modern." The unity of Time is fufficiently attended to. The Adion is comprized within the generally prefcribed period of Twenty-four Hours, as the Play opens with the morning of one day, and clofes early at the fame period of the enfuing day. [ .6 ] pay. The unity of Place has not been fo flrid- ly preferved. Yet, the liberties the Author has taken on this head, may be perhaps jufti- fied by the practice of the ftricleft obfervers of the unities in our moft regular dramas. Not- withftanding, I conceive that, during the fame A6t, 2ijudden change of place, without ■prepara- tion or notice, tends greatly to deflroy drama- tic illulion*. In the Second Scene of the Third Acl, a glaring inftance of this impropriety oc- curs. In the previous Scene, Rolla and Cora had appeared in a Wood clofe by the Peruvian Camp, from whence the latter flies in diftrac- tion to feek Alonzo, fuppofed to be^flain. In * An ingenious Critic, Lord Kaims, in his Elements of Criticifm, (Irongly contends for no change of Place, but after an Interval or Act. A change of Place therefore during an Aft, ought never to be indulged, as it breaks its unity. For, "after fuch an Interval as an Aft," the Cri- tic obferves, '• the Imagination adapts itfelf to any place " that is neccflfary, as readily as at the commencement of " the piece." This critical Canon feems to be derived from the praftice of the French Stage. Yet I think it miy with fafety be violated. It is only neceflary that the tran.fition be not too abrupt. For inftance ; the unity of Aftion fuflFers no interrruption, by the change of place in the Third Scene of the Second Aft, as we are preuared fo.f this Scene (which repre'ents a Sacnhce iu the Temple of the Sun'j by Alonzo's (jbiervation of tne Knig"s approach, as denoted by the found of iVlufic. I'v th;s anticipation, the unities of Time and Place iufFer io little inti-rrapticr!, zs not to diminiili the force oi ti:e Sprctaior's luuhen, a trice C '7 ] a trice the Scene fhifts, and behold Pizarro in his Tent ! Not prepared for this tranfition by any previous event, I muft appeal to the teft of general feehng, whether this change do not weaken the impreilion of Reality ? In the laft Ad:, the unity of Place fuffers a great in- terruption. The Scene is unexpe5iedly fhifted, no lefs than thrice, from the Spanifh Camp to the Tent of Ataliba, and from thence to the retreat among the Rocks. But it muft in can- dor be allowed, that the unities of Time and Place (although contributing much to the " Cunning of the Scene") may with impunity be encroached upon, when the beauties of Cha- racter and Sentiment, and the Intereft of dra- matic Situation, demand fuch a facrificc. In the arrangement of the Incidents, a ftridler rule is to be followed. Their mutual dependence upon, and connedlion with each other ; and the Motives and Means, which produce the diffe- rent events, fliould be clearly unfolded to the Spectator. In the Firft Adl of Pizarro, a ftricl attention has been paid, not only to the Uni- ties, but alfo to the natural and eafy develop- ment of the Plot. But what a falling off is there in the fucceeding Acls ! In the Fourth Scene of the Second A61, an old blind Man and Boy are introduced, without any apparent motive or defign, into the heat of Battle, near to the Camp. To this place the King retreats B w oundcd ; [ I« J wounded ; and, flrange to tell, orders his guard to leave him in a place fo expofed, that a fol- dier had been difpatched juil: before to • warn the helplefs to retreat farther among the Rocks !' Yet unarmed and wounded is Ataliba left, by his Officers and Guard, without a finglc rc- monflrance or hint on their part of the danger of his fituation. The Second Scene of the Third Act prefents a ftriking inflance of inat- tention on the part of the Author. Cora and her Child enter a Wood where they are joined by Rolla, who remarks that he had hQe.n fum- moned by Cora to this Interview. But this in- formation is new to the Audience. They may indeed fuppofe that, like the Phylician and Gentleman-Ufher in the Rehearfal, *' they " had been talking of this a pretty while with- *' out." The Attors are compelled to fill up this chafm by Pantomimic reprefentation. Would not all difficulty have been removed, in a much more fimple manner, by a little whif- pering betw cen the parties ? — Mr. Bays prac- tifed this ir.ode with great fuccefs. The inter- view between Pizarro, Elvira, and Alonzo, (alrliough the dialogue be fpirited and charac- terifiic) drags rather hea\ily, from its length and want of variety. Indeed the whole of the Tiur.l Act (of which this Scene comprifes at Icall: tuo-thirds) is fo barren of Incident, and full of mere dc( lamatorv dialogue, that none but [ '9 ] but the mofl fkilful and energetic Adlors can render it in any degree tolerable. The Fourth Acl lies open to numerous and obvious objediions. There is fuch poverty of Invention, and want of Connection in the chain of Incidents, as to reflecfl difcredit on the Au- thor's dramatic fkill, or at leaft to convicl him of culpable inattention. A Peruvian General, of diftinguifhed Charadier and Renown even among the Spaniards, under the ftale difguife of a Monk's Habit, is fuppofed to have palTed undifcovered into the inmoft receffes of the Spanifh Camp. But that by the mere exchange of a Friar's Robe and Cowl, Alonzo fhould be fo difguifed (notwithftanding his legs were fet- tered with Chains) as to permit his palling through a guarded Prifon, and finally to effed: his efcape, habited as a Spanifh Prieft, through the Spaniili Camp and Out-pofts, to the Peru- vian Army : — are circumftances fo marvellous, as may indeed " elevate and furprize," but muft fail to convince any other than a credulous and inattentive Audience. After Alonzo's efcape, Elvira next appears. She had previoufly difpatched a Soldier, to ac- quaint Alonzo with her intended vifit. The Soldier obtained admifHon, by means of a PalT- port from Elvira. This Lady indeed appears to be endowed with very extraordinary authori- ty over the whole of the Camp ; yet it is fcarce- B 2 Iv [ 20 J J\ credible, that Pizano fliould have permitted fuch a degree of delegated power to remain uith Ehira, after what had palfed between ihcm in the preceding Acl:. For we there find th:ft Pizarro treats her interccllion for Alonzo with jealous fcorn and contumely. They fepa- rate mutually inflamed with Anger and Diftruft. Her fubfequent conduct plainly fliews, that no reconciliation had been effected*. After obtaining Rolla's real, or feeming, afTent to affafllnate Pizarro, Elvira urges the necefllty of his firft delf roying the Centinel, be- fore they can reach Pizarro's Tent. Yet this very Centinel was removed, by Elvira's order> to the outer Porch. What a pity this truly complaifant Soldier had not been directed to flep a little farther out of the way, confidering that Elvira entered the dungeon with the avow- ed purpofe of effecting Alonzo's efcape ! But then we fhould have been deprived of Rolla's heroic forbearance, fentimental efFufions, and moral reafoning; when inftigated coolly to mur- der a man placed at his poif of duty. This is truly a critical fituation for the parties. No time was to be lofl. How then do they con- trive to extricate thcmfelves r That remains a * I'l-ulx". t'.ic fac'.liiy ^vith wliich Elvira gains admiiTion to Alonvo, -A'lio was coiuk-n.iued lo :[[■.-■ on the Inirie morn- in<.-, :vid 'o whom acccli was nK.'i iiriciK' lorbif'xkT.. is not ..■;c- of til. lv,ilr n:,;!W:)oi!s 'iiciclvni-. ii, tl;r !-'ia\-, fee ret C ^' ] fecret locked up in the Author's breafl. What artifice the tender-hearted Elvira ufed to gain over the " Old Caftilian," (whom fhe had pre- vioufly devoted to deftrud:ion) is moft unfairly and difcourteoufly (I deem it) kept a profound fecret from the Audience. In the Third Scene^ Elvira informs Rolla (having firft condudted him into Pizarro's Tent) that fhe will withdraw the attendant Guard. One might have imagined, that the Guard would have prevented RoUa's accefs to the Tent. But, as Sneer fays in the Critic, we '^ may account for it" by fuppofmg that, like Mr. Puff's Centinels, they were afleep '^ as faff *' as Watchmen ;" and that, when the drowfy fit had left them, Elvira had only to order them off their Poft. Yet this very Guard, fo feafon- ably removed, it appears muft have remained within ear-fhot. For they at firft rufh forward on Pizarro's Summons, but fland fo amazed at Elvira's Invective, that although fcolded, threat- ened, and ftormed at, by their indignant Gene- ral, they quietly fuffer her to exhauft the full torrent of her rage. The Fifth Ad: docs not want Incident. Lightning, Thunder, and a Song, introduce the wretched Cora. But this Storm is fucceeded by a Calm. Alonzo's diftant voice is heard. The vivid lightnings ceafe to flafh, the harfh thunder dies away, and Cora rufhes into Alon- zo's arms. Wonders now like Alps on Alps arife. C 2^ ] arife. That Rolla fhould efcape, with Cora's Child in his arms, from amidft the centre of an Army, deflroy a Bridge, and flay a number of his purfuers, appears to me, I confefs, to bor- der a little on the marvellous. But what words can exprefs our afbonifhment at the fequel ? Pi- zarro attempts to carry off, by furprize, the Peruvian Women and Treafures, concealed in a recefs among the Rocks. Defeated and fur- rounded, he fights in fmgle combat with Alon- zo, who, beaten down and difarmed by his Adverfary, is on the point of being deftroyed, when lo ! Elvira, habited in the very drefs in which Pizarro firft beheld her, prefents hcrfelf before the Conqueror ; and, thus ftriking terror into his foul, renders him an eafy conqueft to his antag-onift Alonzo*. But to fay nothing of the difficulty of evading Pizarro's peremptory orders for the infbant exe- cution of Alonzo, I would afk from what mo- tive could flie have been induced to the under- taking ; and how was it practicable for her, habited as a Nun, to have penetrated thi'ough * On ihe St;igc, this Heroine, althou-^h habited as a Nu-.i, ;.s accoutred wiili :\ Swf tfie ' Miilic^n,' and is sTreeted. I am informed, with prodigious burffs of a]plaui^; ! the C n ] the inmoft recefTes of the Peruvian ftrong- holds, to the place where Pizarro was defeated ^ If the intention were to terrify Pizarro at the crifis of Alonzo's defeat, Elvira muft have been blelfed with the gift of fecond-fight to have forefeen this event. Indeed, nothing lefs than magical aid, or (as fhe obferves) '' an awful " impulfe" can account for her opportune ar- rival, to put the finifhihg ftroke to the Cata- ftrophe. But may not Mr. Puff's obfervation, on a limilar occalion, furnifli the true Key to the marvellous events with which this Scene abounds? "Now Gentlemen," obferves that judicious Chara6ler, " this Scene goes entirely " for what we call Situation and Stage-effe5ty by ^' which the greateft applaufe may be obtained " without the affiftance of Language, Senti- " ment, or Character." On the Chara3ers and Manners. AN attention to the Manners, in every dra- matic work, is of the utmoft importance. By this term is to be underftood, not only the pre- fervation of individual and general Charad:er *, but * " Honoratum fi forte reponis Achillem, " Impiger, iracuadus, inexorabilis, acer," &c. HoRAT. dc Arte Poetica. " Thus C 24 J but likewifc a regard to the general qualities and adions of Man, abftradedly confidered. Arifto- tlc compares (in the work before quoted) the Manners, in a dramatic Work, to the Colours in a Pidlure. *' A Tragedy although excellent in " plot, yet deficient in Characlcr, may be com- " pared (he fays) to a well-drawn picture, where *' the moll glowing colours are mixed on the " Canvas without order or defign." And he ob- ferves that fuch a picture would not give half fo much pleafure, as the well-wrought Sketches of a fimple draught. The Manners alfo include a juft reprefentation of the modes and cuftoms of a people, as varied by their government, pecu- liar-prejudices. Laws, and Religion. Thefe have not been fufficiently preferved in Pizarro. The Manners and Sentiments, on many occa- fions, belong more to the Spanifli (or rather European) than to the Peru\ian characlcr. This is more efpecially to be obferved in the Sentiments, as I fliall have occafion to fhew when I trcjt on this part of the fubjecl. At prcfent I intend to confine my obfervatjons to individual Characters. Among the chief of them RoUa ftands pre-eminent, in the efiima- ■• Thus if p(.rch:!nce voii ,:;iw to fiinie '• Aclul'iC'S. ewr hunour'cl ,ia.v.': ! '■ 1,1 1 liur. with nnh'ion \viici!v v-iv.-, •• Iiicxoral)!'.'. iivrtXiV bi-.n-;," &l-. tjon C 25 ] tion both of the Author and the PubHc. In- deed the Character is boldly conceived and fpi- ritedly executed, but I cannot add juftly finifh- ed. His condudt, when Elvira inftigates him to the alTallination of Pizarro, is at leaft equi- vocal. His expreflion to Elvira, " And for Peru thou perifhefl ! Give me the Dagger," — feems to infmuate that he was afhamed of his reludlance, and had refolved to comply with her propofal. And indeed it is only after an evident ftruggle, when in Pizarro's tent, that he abandons his intention. But in the manner of doing this, how can we reconcile his appa- rently ungenerous condudt towards Elvira, with his Charader as a Hero ? What could be his motive for roufing Pizarro from his flumber, when he had previoufly determined to fpare his life ? He muft have been fenlible that Elvira's life would become forfeited by the difcovery. I fee no mode of explaining his condud, except that he wifhed to prove to Pizarro, that, of the two, he was the better Ghriftian. Would it not have been more confiflent with the fuppofed Wifdom and Generofity of his Character, to have retired to the dungeon, and magnanimoufly waited there his doom : or, at leaft, to have endeavoured to efcape with Elvi- ra, rather than have compromifed for his own fafety by expoling her to the utmoft peril ? For how was it probable he could have conceal- ed [ 26 ] ed from Pizarro the means by which he obtain- ed admiffion, fuppofing Elvira's ftrange indif- cretion had not led to the difcovery ? There is another trait in his Charadler, which (in my opinion) tends to degrade the Hero in a much more important point of view. He is fuppofed to be the Lover of Cora, whom he had heroical- ly refigned to the more favoured Alonzo. An intimate Friendfhip fubfifted between the par- ties. When Rolla undertook the generous — the heroic tafk of facrificing himfelf in order to obtain Alonzo's releafe, we admire and ap- plaud the deed. Why does it claim our admi- ration ? Becaufe we fuppofe that the motives, which prompted its execution, were not only honourable to the human Character, but even worthy of a Hero. For to releafe a General like Alonzo, by whom the Peruvians had been inftruded in thofe warlike arts, which their Enemies had often praclifed with Succefs ; and who had turned the tide of victory to the Peru- vian Standard : to fave the life of a much valued Friend, and to reftore a Hu (band and a Father to a difconfolate Vv^ifc and helplefs Child — would have been motives fo noble and confident with the virtues of a Hero, as to have damped the Character of Rolla with the high- eft praife. But when we learn from Rolla's lips, that he was moved to this noble net offdf- deftrudion " by a motive, ftronger far than Friend fliip C ^7 3 Friendfhip — By Love," — and for Cora ! the Wife of Alonzo ! and a Mother too ! — our bet- ter feelings recoil at the profanation of the term ; and, although we may pity the weaknefs of the Man^ we look with contempt on the cha- racter of the Hero. Indeed, fo fiercely does this paffion rage in Rolla's breaft, that, in a preceding Scene, amidft the wild diftra(5lions of lamenting Grief, when Cora fuppofes Alonzo to be dead, does he prefent himfelf as a Huf- band to her, and a Father to her Child. Is this the conduct of a man of refined fentiment, generoiity, and wifdom : in fhort, of a Hero ? Certainly not. It may be urged in behalf of the Author, that this condud: of Rolla gives rife to one of the main Incidents in the Play, by which his Charadter is placed in the mofl interefting point of view. But is propriety and confiftency of Charader to be llicrificed to the pleafure arifing from the furprize of Incident, or intereft of Situation ? If Rolla be deprived of any portion of his refined, and almoft Ipi- ritualized, affedion for Cora, his character, inftead of engaging our Sympathy, would ex- cite our horror and deteftation. Indeed, to none but thofe who are alive to the impreffions of romantic gallantry, and habituated to the contemplation of the marvellous in Morals and Sentiment, can the character of Rolla be con- lidcred as proper for dramatic reprefentation. If C 28 ] If \vc however fliould admit that the Author was juftificd in affigning the paflion of l^ove for an Objecl (whofe fituation precluded a re- turn of afFeclion) as the nobleft and moft pow- erful motive for all the heroic aclions of RoUa ; yet, when we view his conduct, not only as a Lover, but alio as a Politician, a General, and an Orator, we cannot but confider the Author as ftrangely departing from Truth and Nature in reprefenting fuch incongruity in the Manners of Tragedy. For, inftead of a half-civilized Sa- vage (fuch as the befl: of the Peruvians muft have been) we find Rolla's characlier reprefent- ed as a compound of the European gallantry of a former age, mixed with modern German Sen- timent, and a tolerable fprinkiing of Englifli Manners. Elvira ftands prominent among the group of Perfonages in this . Drama. The Author feems to have beftowed no common pains, to render her an object of Sympathy and Intereft. Her fentiments are lofty, her lan- guage energetic, and the virtuous rtrugglcs of repentance and rcmorfe are foi'ibly depicted. Yet, on a clofe inveftigation of the Characl:er, it does not ftrike me as founded in Nature, nor conliftently fupportcd as drawn by the Author. That a cloiftered rcclufe fnould, on the firft mention of Pizarro's exploits, conceive a vio- lent attachment for his Pcrfon and Cha racier, is an extravagant fuppofition ; but that flic lliould C 29 ] fhoLild afterwards be feduced by this illiterate, ferocious, and every-way unpoliflied Adven- turer — (the murderer of her Brother by his Sword, and of her Mother through Grief) — to abandon her noble Family, her Fame, her Home ; to fliare the dangers, humours, and crimes of fuch a Lover — is an outrage againll probability, and in contradid:ion to the beft feelings of the human mind. None but an abandoned chara(5ler could have ad:ed like El- vira. Yet is fhe depidled as polTelling fenlibi- lity, moral feeling, a high tone of fentiment, and great powers of Mind ! But when fhe docs appear upon the fcene of aclion, is there not great inconfiftency in her conduct ? It appears that jealoufy and revenge urged her to conceive the defign of aflaiTmating P'zarro; but after- wards we learn, from her own folemn declara- tion to Rolla, that " fhe had put by all ran- " corous motive of private vengeance." What produced this wonderful change in the motives for her condudl ? It cannot be afcribed folely to the determination of Pizarro to deftroy Alonzo. She had been too often a witnefs of his bloody and rapacious condudl. The wrongs of human nature, and of juftice, had long before cried aloud for vengeance : but, not until a Rival crofled her way, did Elvira feel a defire to re- venge thefe injuries perpetrated by Pizarro. At the clofe of the Firft Act fhe expreffes her terror C 30 ] terror and remorfe, and wifhes to fly from fuch dreadful Scenes. But, in fpite of fuch an avowal, we find that Ihe had accompanied, as a Warrior, Pizarro and his band of Robbers on that very attack^ the horrors and cruelty of which file had fo pathetically deplored ! And rtill further to maki the inconfiftency of this hetcrodite Chara6ter, Hie not only accompanied the Spaniards on this dreadful occafion, but alfo had difplayed fuch zvarlike bravery as to extort the praiie from Pizarro, that " in War '^ fhe was the Soldier's pattern." What mufi: have been her conduct, to have merited fuch praife ixomfucb a character ? That fhe piqued hcrfelf upon her warlike prowefs with no fmall degree of exultation, is evident, from her an- fwcr to Pizari'o's exclamation, " Why had not '' all men hearts like thine ?" " Then," Ihe replies, " would thy brows this day have worn '' the Crown of Quito !" The Character of Pizarro differs too much from the opinion we are led to form of it from Valverdc's defcription. For, from fo very illiterate and unpolilhed a Chief, bred up amidft the dregs of the lowefl orders of Society, we fcarccly could have ex- pected either dignity of Language, or noblenefs of Sentiment. But, on every occafion, we find Pizarro deliver his thoughts in the famiC lofty Style with the other more dignified Characters ; and, in his treatment of Rolla, he evinces fuch true [ 3' ] true generofity of Soul, as is incompatible with the vindi6tive brutality of his general condudt. I am well aware that, in no human heart, is the Voice of humanity completely ftifled ; but Pizarro is reprefented to be fuch a Monfter of revenge and cruel depravity, as to render his condudl to Rolla improbable and uncharadterif- tic. It is a juft critical dogma, and may be applied to this, as well as every other dramatic Character : " Servetur ad imum, '* Qualis ab incepto procefferit, et fibi conftet/' " Preferve a juft, conftftent plan, '* And let him end as he began." The Chara6ler of Ataliba is but feebly fketch- ed. Rolla fo eclipfes the luftre of his Mafter's fame, that we almoft lofe fight of this Offspring of the Peruvian Deity. When he did appear, we might have expected a Style dignified, and fuited to his Rank and Character ; but, as I fhall point out hereafter, he generally difplays an equal poverty in Style and Sentiment. The Charadler of Las Cafas exhibits traits which do honour to humanity, and affords a pleafmg contraft to the other Spaniards leagued in this foul enterprize. His eloquence and heart- rending appeals might have foftened even the flinty hearts of his cruel and avaricious Coun- trymen. I have no hefitation in afhrming, that the [ 32 ] , the Characflcr of Las Cafas is not only the moft unexceptionable, but, likcwife, that \\hich is moft juftly entitled to our Sympathy, in the whole of this Drama/ The diftradling grief of Cora, as well as the violence of all her emotions, feems to me better fitted to excite the Sympa- thy of common minds, than to produce a fimi- lar feeling in minds of a more juft and refined fenfibility. Alonzo occupies a confiderablc rank in the lift of the Author's Characters. He is drawn in a very amiable^ though not brilliant point of light. He forms, however, a ftriking contraft to Pizarro, and thus height- ens the general intereft of the Play. The Cha- racter is fupported with uniform confiftency, and gains a confiderable portion of the Spec- tator's regaled and fympathy. The Characters of the Peruvian Cacique, and blind Old Man, produce much dramatic effect ; but the Man- ners of both are the reverfe of Peruvian. The former, deeply fkillcd in Rhetoric, manages his tropes and figures v.ith no fmall dexterity. He might be fuppofcd to have ftudied Oratory in the Schools, and have been verfed in the Chriftian code of Relimon. Yet, as a Pacran Chief, he muft be fuppofed to be wedded to the fuperftitions of his Country. Valverde appears at firft to be a thorough-paced Villain. Elvira confiders his attachment to her as the offspring of '' bafc lucre and mean fraud." His refcuing Elvira, [ 33 ] Elvira, therefore, at the certain rifle of his life, is a palpable contradidion to the felfifh mean- nefs of his general condud:. The reft of the inferior Charaders are exempt from any particular obfervation, as they merely ferve either to fwell the train of their Superiors, or to connedl the dialogue, and fupply a few links to the chain of Incidents. On the Sentiments. TRAGEDY not only requires that the Man- ners fliould be characleriftic, but alfo that the Sentiments fliould be conformable to the Cha- raders. The conformity of the Sentiments ought to appear in the predominant Manners of the relpeclive Charaders; and likewife fhould be manifeftcd in every varied lituation or cir- cumftance in which they may be placed. In Pizarro, great fcope was afforded, both for ori- ginality and copioufnefs of Sentiment. The reprefentation of a People emerging from Bar- barifm, and governed by peculiar Manners and Cuftoms, both of Religion and civil Polity, was favourable to a development of ftriking and affecting Sentiment. But no fuch originality of Sentiment, no ftriking contraft of the peculiar modification of Charader to be expedlcd from a difference in Manners, Cuftoms and Preju- c dices [ 34 3 dices is to be found in this Play. On the con- trary, we find the Peruvian Chara6lers make frequent and folemn appeals to the Deity. They acknowledge his peculiar Providence and moral Attributes; and their conceptions of Man's fupreme Good, both in the prefent and a future State, are llri6lly confonant to the moft en- lightened fyftem of Religion*. 1 lliall feled: fome ftriking examples, to fhew that this difcrepance, between the Manners and Sentiments, is not merely accidental or occa- lional ; but pervades the whole of the fenti- ments and language of the Peruvian Charaders. Orozimbo (as before obferved) utters Senti- ments altogether inconfidcnt with the Charac- ter of a Peruvian Cacique. He calls Alonzo * •' Tin: Peruvians," fays Dr. Robertlbn, " had not in- •• dted made fucli progreis in obfervatlon or inquiry, as to ■• liave attained jufl conceptions of the Deity; nor was '■ there in their language any proper name or appellation " of the Supreme Power, which intimated that they had '■ formed any idea of him as the Creator and Governor of •• the World." Some of their {uperftitions, mentioned by the lame Writer, were cruel and deteflable. '• On the death of the '• Incas, or any other emuient Perfonage, a confiderable •■ number of their Attendants were put to death, and in- " terred in their Guacas, that he might appear in the next •' World in his former Dignity, At the celebration of ••' the funeral oblequies of Huana Capac, one thouiand of '• his Attendants were put to death."' '' the C 35 ] , " the Guardian-Angel of Peru ;" boafts of the " treafure he had ftored in Heaven ;" remarks that, as he had *' never trembled before God, "why fhould he tremble before man ?" and dies with importuning bleflings on Elvira, and praying that Heaven may pardon and turn his murderers' hearts. Thefe Sentiments, w^hich w^ould have flowed with propriety from the lips of Las Cafas under fimilar circumftances, are altogether unfuitable to the notions and charadler of a Peruvian. Rolla fcarcely utters a Sentiment that is not at variance with Peru- vian Manners. That fine piece of declama- tion, his Addrefs to the Soldiers, fo flagrantly violates Peruvian ideas of Government, Morals, and Religion ; and is fo evidently calculated to ferve a temporary purpofe, that it mufl be con- fidered (though beautiful when viewed apart) as extraneous matter, tending to break the unity of Action in a Drama, otherwife fuffici- ently negligent in its Compolition. But the violation of propriety in the Sentiments is not folely confined to political, moral, and theolo- gical Subjedls. It occurs in the mode of fami- liar allufion and common exprefiion. Witnefs the anfwer of the blind Old Man to the Boy, who, on the report of Cannon, Ihouts '^ There " is fire and fmoke;" when this old Peruvian remarks, *' Yes, Fire is the weapon of thofe " fiends,''' Such an allufion from a Peruvian, and c 2 a Pagan, C 36 ] ^ a Pagan, is 'io palpably abfurd, that to excite ridicule it needs only to be mentioned. Elvira utters Sentiments worthy of a more dignified Charatler. Indeed, her Character and Sentiments are fo much at variance, that great ,part of the beauty of the latter is obfcured by the inconfiftency of the former. In the firft Acft, when ordered by Pizarro to retire, fhe breaks out into the following beautiful and energetic appeal, ill fuited to the general tenor of her Conducl:, " Oh 1 Men ! Men 1 ungrate- *' ful and perverfe ! Oh, Woman ! ftill afFec- " tionate, though wrong'd 1 The Beings to " whofe Eyes you turn for animation, hope and '* rapture, through the days of mirth and revel- ^'^ ling ; and on w hofe bofoms, in the hour of " fore calamity, you feek for reft and confola- '' tion. — Them, zdoni the. pompous follies of your '* mean ambition are the queftion. You treat as *' Play-things or as Slaves." ^he pompous follies of your mean ambition founds Ibangcly from the lips of a woman who had lacrificed Friends, Country, and Reputation on the Altar of that Idol. Her anfwer to Pi- zarro, who demands, if he fliould rejoice at his recent defeat, manifcfts an OlTian-like fublimi- ty of StUcand Imagery, not equalled by any other paliage in the Tragedy. " No 1 I would '' have thee cold and dark, as the night that " f()llv>s\.s the departed Storm ; fbll and fullen, as N, [ 37 ] " as the awful paufe that precedes Nature's con- " vullion : Yet I would have thee feel alTured '' that a new morning lliall arife, when the " Warrior's Spirit fliall ftalk. forth, nor fear the " future, nor lament the paft." But this fplen- did pafTage is liable to the objeftion of unfit- nefs to the Charad:er. The feeling, agonized Elvira, who fhrunk from the bare mention of the attack which led to Pizarro's difcomfiture, ought not to have uttered fuch Sentiments of Warlike enterprise and valour. Many of the Maternal Sentiments of Cora are moving and pathetic ; yet, others appear to be overflrained, and furfeit by excefs of feeling. The conftant whine of morbid Senfibility, inflead ofincrea- fing Sympathy, deadens its force. Her defcrip- tion of the three maternal Holidays feems to me far-fetched, and offenfive to good tafle. The " white bloflbms of his teeth breaking the crim- " fom buds that did incafe them," is truly a prettinefs of expreffion, ill fuired to the defcrip- tion of one of the moft painful maladies of fuf- fering infancy. In the fame Scene the Antithe- fis of Perfons, which Mr. Dangle in the Critic jullly ftyles " a moft eftablilhed figure,", is dex- troufly introduced. Tilhurina. ** Canft thou rejedt the Suppliant and " the Daughter too V Governor. " No more. I would not have thee plead " in vain. The Father foftens, but the Governor " is fixed." Cora, [ 38 ] Cora. " This timid excefs of Love, producing *' Fear, inftead of Valour, flatters, but does not con- *' vince me. The Wife is incredulous." Rolla. " And is the Mother unbelieving too r" Cora. " No more. Do with me as you pleafe," In the following Scene there is a Sentiment uttered by the Boy, fo pleafing and natural, that I cannot forbear tranfcribing it. Old Man, *' But fhould the Enemy come, they will *' drag thee from me, my Boy." Boy. " ImpofTible, Grandfather! for they will fee " at once that you are old and blind, and cannot do " without me." How forced, bald, and unnatural, does the following Sentiment of Cora appear, when con- trafted with the fimplicity of the one juft quo- ted! Rolla entreats Cora to " liften to Alonzo's "Friend." She replies, "You bid me liften " to the World ; who was not Alonzo's Friend ?" Never before, I verily believe, did an afflicled Heroine utter fo frigid a Conceit. It is the very Antipodes of natural feeling and correct tafte. The Soliloquy of Rolla, on entering Alonzo's Dungeon, contains fome beautiful Sentiment ; but labours under the charge of being ill-timed. For Rolla ought to be fo intent on effeding Alonzo's rcleafe, as to have neither time nor inclination to indulge in a long fentimental ef- fufion. It may juftly be obfcrved, that moft of the Soliloquies abound in wire-drawn Senti- ment, C 39 ] ment, to a degree, which fatigues the Attention, and leflens the Intereft of the Audience. On the Style. THE Style, or Language of the drama, has always been confidered an effential part of its conftitution. The Style of Pizarro forms an anomaly in Englifh Tragedy. I know not how- to charadlerife it, except by the exprefTion of " Profe run mad." There have been few Tra- gedies in our Language written in Profe, which have gained applaufe either on the Stage or in the Clofet. One or two, which have fucceeded, were compofed in a different Style from Pizarro. George Barnwell and the Stranger are founded on domeftic and familiar Life ; and, therefore, do not admit of an elevated poetic Style. Pi- zarro, on the contrary, contains lofcy characters and fentiments, illuftrated by figurative and po- etic imagery, but not elevated by regular Metre. That regular Metre is effential to Poetry, I by no means affirm; but, to conftitute a perfccT; Poem or Tragedy in our Tongue, it feems an indifpenfable requifite. For to pkqfey as well as to injlru^y is a legitimate objecl of Poetry — ^* Aut prodelTe volunt, aut dele flare poetee." The obfervation of a celebrated Poet and Critic, Dr. Beattie, '' That in Tragedy the verfification '* mav C 40 ] " maybe both harmonious and dignified, becaufe " the Characters are taken chiefly from High '' Life, and the Events from a remote Period ; " and becaufe the higher Poetry is permitted to " imitate Nature, not as it is, but in that ftate of *•■ perfection in which it might be," applies apt- ly to the drama under confideration. Its Sub- ject would have admitted, nay indeed at tirties demanded, both a dignified and poetic Style. Ariftotle in his definition of Tragedy, main- tains, that the Style of the Tragic drama fhould be *■* agreeably reli/bingy and contain Number, Verfe, and Harmony." Blank- Verfe, I con- ceive, is very properly the Metre in which Tra- gedy, in our Language, mofi: fuccefsfully conveys both delight and inftrudlion : For, as an elegant Writer * juftly obferves, *' It rifes gracefully " into the fublime ; it can Aide happily into the " familiar ; haften its career, if impelled by ve- *' hemence of pailion ; paiife in the hefitation of *' doubt ; appear lingering and languid in de- "jec5lion and forrow ; is capable of varying its *^ accent, and adapting its harmony to the Sen- " time.'it it fhould convey, and the PaiTion it '' would excite, with all the po\^er of mufical " exprcffion." Shakefpear, Otway, and Rowe have fiiewn how pathetic fentiment and dignified dcclama- * Effay on the W'ritip.gs and Gev.ius of Sl:akefpear. tion C 41 ] tion may be enriched by Metre. Why then de- part from fuch Models ? Was it the intention to improve upon them ? Iffo, the object has not been obtained. For although Pizarro be not deftitute of harmonious and beautiful paflages, yet, upon the \vhole_, it exhibits a patchwork of regular Metre, inflated Profe, and vulgar phrafe- olop-v. Sometimes the Lano;uao;e foars into the region of Blank Verfe, and is indeed only Profe to the Eye : " On Iron pennons borne, the blood-ftain'd Vulture ** Cleaves the Storm, yet is ttie plumage clofeft " To her breaft, foft as the Cygnet's down, and *' O'er her unfheU'd brood the murm'ring Ring-Dove *' Sits not more gently." In a few other paflages, where the Imagery is grand, and the Sentiments elevated, according to the warmth of paflion and dignity of the Speaker, an approach is made towards regular Metre. Take Elvira's foliloquy at the clofe of the third Ad:, as aflfording an inftance of fublime defcription, disfigured by tumid phrafeology, forced inverfion of Style, and a negled; of uni- form metrical arrangement. '' Yes thou un- " daunted ! Thou whom yet no mortal hazard *' has appalled ! Thou who on Panama's brow '' didji make alliance with the raving elements, ^' that tore the fllence of that horrid night ! " when thou didJl follow, as thy Pioneer, the *^ crafliing '-^'^^gs.^ C 42 ] " crafhing thunder's drift ; and, ftalking o'er *' the trembling earth, didjl plant thy banners *' by the red Volcano's mouth. Thou, who when " battling on the Sea, and thy brave Ship was *' blown to fplinters, waji feen as thou didjl bc- *' ftride a fragment of the fmoaking wreck, to *' w^ave thy glittering fword above thy head, as ** thou wouldjl defy the World in that ex- '' tremity !" The palTages moft entitled to approbation, on account of Style, are thofe which approach neareft to Blank Verfe ; but, for want of atten- tion to metrical uniformity, thefe fuffer a de- gradation by their being incorporated with downright vulgar profe. Not that I conceive every fubordinate Character in Tragedy fhould deliver a meflage, or utter the moft trivial thought, in Blank Verfe. Shakefpear has drawn the proper line. Blank Verfe is always ufed by this Poet in the loftier Scenes of Tragedy, where the Sentiments and Chara6ters demand an ele- vated Style : but, in the lefs interefting Scenes, where familiar Characters are introduced, he judicioufly defcends to a correfpondent Style and Language. But even granting that numerous and elfvalrd Profe may be adapted to the more dignified Characters of Tragedy with propriety and effed:, I am fure it will not be denied, that all vulgar exprellions and low ideas tend to de- grade fuch perfonages. Vv'hen we hear Ataliba, the C 43 ] the Monarch and Reprefentative of the God of the Peruvians, exprefs himfelf more than once on* the fame fubje6t, in the following terms. Ri- dicule, inftead of Sympathy, muft be excited. Enter Ataliba wounded^ with Orano and Officers. Ataliba. " My wound is bound. Believe me, the hurt is nothing, I may return to the Fight." Again, " Thanks, thanks, my Children, I am well, believe it, " The blood once ftopt, the wound was nothing *." On the Moral. THAT the tragic Drama may be rendered a powerful auxiliary to Virtue and good Morals, has been generally admitted. For to excite emotions which tend to purify and ftrengthen the various fympathies of our Nature f is, (or ought • The Author feems in this in fiance to have only flopt fhort, " on the precipice of Abfurdity," Indeed it re- minds me of a Line, faid to have been fpoken by one of Dryden's Heroes (I believe, in ' Tyrannic Love.') " My wound is great, becaufe it is fofmall," To which a Wit in the Boxes inflantly replied, " Then 'twould be greater, were it none at all." + Ariflotle takes in as part of his definition of Tragedy, the following Sentence, " That without the afliftance of « Nar- [ 44 ] ought to be) its peculiar province and deiign. When it attains this noble moral end, by means which ferve at the fame time to w^vm the ima- gination, gratify the judgment, and plcafe the tafle, it then rifes to its higheft pitch of excel- lence. There are many Moral beauties in the play of Pizarro. Poetical Juftice is almoft ftridily attended to, by punifhing Vice, and rendering Virtue triumphant. The duties of Loyalty and Patriotifm are ftrongly enforced. The endearing fenfibilities of conjugal and ma- ternal affed:ion make forcible appeals to the heart. Notwithlfanding thcfc excellencies, it is ftill liable to objecflions on the fcore of morali- ty : and thefe not of a flight and trivial nature. It certainly would be uncandid, if not unjuft, to impute to the Author of this drama, a fixed de- fign of exalting Natural, to an equality with Re- vealed Religion. But I am convinced, from his manner of contrafting the Characters and Con- duct of the Peruvians and Spaniards, that fuch an Effccl is likely to be produced. The exalted notions of Religion and Morality, fo uniformly chara(5Lerizing the Manners and Conduct of the Peruvians, and which are fo lludioufly placed in oppofition to the bafe, bloody, and atrocious Actions and Sentiments of the principal Cha- racters of the Spaniards, confirm the truth of •• Narration it perfeftly refines in us all forts of paifjons. ny '• means of Pity ;;nd Terror." this [ 45 ] this remark. There hirks fomethino; infidious in that Sentiment of Rolla in his Addrefs to Pi- zarro. " I thought forgivenefs of injuries had been the Chriftian's precept^ thou feeft it is the Peruvian's practice." For it has been proved that the Peruvians were tainted with grofs fu- perftitions of a barbarous nature ; and Hifton-'^ farther bears teftimony, that the life of a Brother was facrificed-by Ataliba, from m.otives of Am- bition and fuppofed perfonal Safety. When the Peruvian Cacique intreats Heaven to pardon and turn his murderers' hearts, he not only bor- rows Chriftian precepts, but follows the Chrif- tian Example. Why thus violate Hiftoric pro- bability ? What motive can we affign for the at- tempt to demonftrate, that the Religion and Morality of the Peruvians were equal, if not fu- perior, to the lights of Revealed Religion ? But it may be faid, that the virtues of Las Cafas and Alonzo exhibit fuch exalted proofs of the excel- lence of the Chriftian dodtrines, as to juftify this Author in fo ftrongly con t rafting his Charadiers. It is true they form a fplendid exception to the general charge : Yet, fomething likediftributive juftice fhould have been obferved in his conduct towards the two Nations. The Peruvians are elevated above the reft of mankind : The Spa- niards degraded below the fcale of humanity. If any Nation (in other refpects nearly bar- barous) had attained fuch juft and refined no- tions C 46 ] tions of Piety and Morals, as the Peruvians are reprefented to be endowed with ; it would have been right and even infi:ru6tive to have pour- trayed fuch ftriking and important fadls. But a People fo circumftanced have not appeared upon our Globe. It is therefore to fallify the Hiftory of the human Mind and Character, to reprefent fuch Phaenomena as having had exift- ence. The frequent and folemn appeals to the Deity introduced in this Play, deferve fevere re- prehenlion. They tend to lelTen that habitual reverence for the fupreme Being, which ought always to be cherifhed, and they are oppofed to all the principles of good Writing and Tafte. It is an eafy matter to fupply the want of Senti- ment, and force of Expreilion, by invoking the Name of the Deity. Our cuftomary alTociation of every thing (Iriking and awful with that Name excites a powerful emotion in the Mind, and thus elevates and impreffes a Sentiment which would otherwife have fallen lifelefs from the Speaker's lips. But let it be remembered, that habit deftro) s the force of this alTociation ; and that when the aflbciated idea becomes familiar, the fentiment fuiks into its own infignificancy, and ceafes to aifccl; even vulgar minds, though it ftill continues to difguft thole of the more ra- tional and enlightened. The Character of Elvira is calculated to at- tradl more admiration and eftcem, than is con- fident C 47 ] liftent with a juft fenfe of female decorum and virtuous fenfibility. She is not quaUfied for a Tragic Heroine. Her departure from the ftridl rules of female chaftity and refined delicacy, is too grofs to be palliated by a fliew of half-ftifled repentance, lofty fentiment, and energy of cha- rad;er. The heroic Adtions of Rolla arife from motives fo romantic, and are fraught with fo much danger to found Morals, as to be better calculated to excite admiration than to ferve for example. A Platonic affection for youth and beauty in the other Sex may not be problematic with many ; but I will venture to maintain, that the open avowal of RoUa's paflion, (however fublime) for Cora, who was become a Wife and Mother, (Characters facred in the eftimation of all who reverence the mofl important inftitution of civilized life) is a profanation of legitimate Sentiment, and ought not to have been affigned as the great exciting Caufe of all that Hero's atchievements. To fum up the Character of the Drama. — It muft be confidered as pofTelTing many faults, with fome beauties. When compared with the excellent dramatic Works of our befl: Writers, its pretenfions are too feeble to be worthy of no- tice. It fuffers even by comparifon with fome of modern date. Its chief (s'^d'^j- are, a violation of all Hiftoric probability ; a want of connec- tion and coincidence in the Plot ; a Diction un- fuitablc C 48 ] ■ fuitable to the genius of Tragic compofition in our Language ; little attention to the prefer va- tion of confiftency in the Charadlers and Man- ners ; and, finally, the Moral is tarnifhcd by un- juft views of human nature. Its beauties con- fift chiefly in pathetic Sentiment, and energetic declamation ; an attention to dramatic fituation and ftage effecl ; and, laft, though not leafl, a difplay of theatrical Pomp in the adventitious decorations of Song, Proceflions, and Scenery *. * Yet this play appears to me, with regard to Mufic and Scenic decoration, I'plendidly infipid. We may pof- lefs, (as was obferved by a Critic thirty years ago on the dramatic produftions of that period) the Robes and Pro- ceflTions of Tragedy, but want her roufmg and animated Spirit. Indeed, as Foote has oblerved in his occafional Prologue, " Tailors are deemed the only Poets now," and we may add, that " Carpenters and Scene Painters are the only Aftors for bringing full Houfes ; but this will ever be the cafe till Public Tafte and Spirit throw juft and ne- ceffary Contempt on fuch frippery exhibitions as Nature and Reaibn mutually blufh at." Dramatic Censor. F I N I S. OU: K.hic/. ^'"mm ipppl^lpppplljlllll mm f^fw iliiiliiiilplMIPIIP^ UP OE 1. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 IHilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. .H ^^^^ f ■• 1 ■ -i • > V Cfaiftorcl z=. PAMPHLET BINDER .- Syracuse, N. Y. rZIZ Stockton, Calif, i 58 00808 4146 :^ A^ >^V UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACI