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mentioned Hamlet's ghost as an instance of the barbarism of our theatre. The Perfians, of Æfchylus, is certainly one of the most auguft fpectacles that ever was represented on a theatre; nobly imagined, happily sustained, regularly conducted, deeply interesting to the Athenian people, and favora ble to their great scheme of refifting the power of the Perfian monarch. It would be abfurd to depreciate this excellent piece, or to bring into a general comparison with it, a drama of fo different a kind as the tragedy of Hamlet. But it is furely allowable to compare the Perfian phantom with the Danish ghost; and to examine, whether any thing but prejudice, in favour of the ancients, protects the fuperftitious circumftances relative to the one, from the fame ridicule with which the others have been treated. Atoffa, the widow of Darius, relates to the fages of the Perfian council, a dream and an omen; they advise her to confult the shade of her dead lord, upon what is to be done in the unfortunate fituation of Xerxes just defeated by the Greeks. In the third act

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the enters offering to the Manes a libation composed of milk, honey, wine, oil, &c. upon this Darius iffues from his tomb. Let the wits, who are fo fmart on our ghoft's dif appearing at the cock's crowing, explain why, in reason, a ghost in Perfia, or in Greece, fhould be more fond of milk and honey, thanaverfe, in Denmark, to the crow ing of a cock. Each Poet adopted, in his work, the fuperftition relative to his subject; and the Poet who does fo, understands his business much better than the critic, who, in judging of that work, refuses it his attention. The phantom of Darius comes forth in his regal robes to Atoffa and the Satraps in council, who, in the Eaftern manner, pay their filent adorations to their emperor. His quality of Ghost does not appear to make any impreffion upon them; and the Satraps fo exactly preferve the characters of courtiers, that they do not venture to tell him the true state of the affairs of his kingdom, and its recent difgraces: finding he cannot get any information from them, he addresses himself to Atoffa, who does not break forth

with that paffion and tenderness, one should expect on the fight of her long lost hufband; but very calmly informs him, after some flattery on the constant prosperity of his reign, of the calamitous state of Perfia under Xerxes, who has been stimulated by his courtiers, to make war upon Greece. The Phantom, who was to appear ignorant of what was paft, that the Ear of the Athenians might be foothed and flattered with the detail of their victory at Salamis, is allowed, for the fame reafon, fuch prefcience, as to foretell their future triumphat Platea. Whatever elfe he adds by way of counfel or reproof, either in itself, or in the mode of delivering it, is nothing more than might be expected from any experienced Counfellor of ftate. Darius advises the old men to enjoy whatever they can, because riches are of no use in the grave. As this touches the most abfurd and ridiculous foible in human nature, the increase of a greedy and folicitous defire of wealth, when the period. of enjoyment of it becomes more precarious and short, the admonition has fomething of a comic

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a comic and fatirical turn, unbecoming the folemn character of the Speaker, and the fad exigency upon which he was called. The intervention of this præternatural Being gives nothing of the Marvellous or the Sublime to the piece, nor adds to, or is connected with its intereft. The Supernatural divefted of the Auguft and the Terrible make but a poor figure in any species of poetry; ufelefs and unconnected with the fable, it wants propriety, in dramatic poetry. Shakefpear had so just a taste, that he never introduced any præternatural character on the ftage, that did not affift in the conduct of the drama. Indeed he had fuch prodigious force of talents, that he could make every being, his fancy created, fubfervient to his defigns. The uncouth, awkward monster, Caliban, is fo fubject to his genius, as to affift in bringing things to the proposed end and perfection. And the flight Fairies, weak mafters though they be, even in their wanton gambols, and idle fports, perform great tasks by his jo potent art.

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But to return to the intended comparison between the Grecian Shade, and the Danish Ghost. The first propriety in the conduct of this kind of machinery feems to be, that the præternatural perfon be intimately connected with the fable; that he increase the intereft, add to the folemnity of it, and that his efficiency, in bringing on the cataftrophe, be in fome measure adequate to the violence done to the ordinary course of things, in his visible interpofition. These are points peculiarly important in dramatic poetry, as has been before obferved. To these ends it is necessary, this Being thould stand acknowledged and revered by the national Superftition, and thus every operation that developes the attributes, which vulgar opinion, or the nurfe's legend, have taught us to afcribe to him, will augment our pleasure ; whether we give the reins toour imagination, and, as Spectators, willingly yield ourfelves up to pleafing delufion, or, as Critics, examine the merit of the compofition. I hope it is not difficult to fhew, that in all thefe capital - L 2 points

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