I shall not repeat here what Madame Dacier, and so many others before her, have collected of all that can be known relating to the history of comedy.  Its beginnings are as obscure as those of tragedy, and there is an appearance that we take these two words in a more extensive meaning:  they had both the same original; that is, they began among the festivals of the vintage, and were not distinguished from one another, but by a burlesque or serious chorus, which made all the soul, and all the body.  But, if we give these words a stricter sense, according to the notion which has since been formed, comedy was produced after tragedy, and was, in many respects, a sequel and imitation of the works of Eschylus.  It is, in reality, nothing more than an action set before the sight, by the same artifice of representation.  Nothing is different but the object, which is merely ridicule.  This original of true comedy will be easily admitted, if we take the word of Horace, who must have known, better than us, the true dates of dramatick works.  This poet supports the system, which I have endeavoured to establish in the second discourse[5], so strongly, as to amount to demonstrative proof.

Horace[6] expresses himself thus:  “Thespis is said to have been the first inventor of a species of tragedy, in which he carried about, in carts, players smeared with the dregs of wine, of whom some sung and others declaimed.”  This was the first attempt, both of tragedy and comedy; for Thespis made use only of one speaker, without the least appearance of dialogue.  “Eschylus, afterwards, exhibited them with more dignity.  He placed them on a stage, somewhat above the ground, covered their faces with masks, put buskins on their feet, dressed them in trailing robes, and made them speak in a more lofty style.”  Horace omits invention of dialogue, which we learn from Aristotle[7].  But, however, it may be well enough inferred from the following words of Horace; this completion is mentioned while he speaks of Eschylus, and, therefore, to Eschylus it must be ascribed:  “Then first appeared the old comedy, with great success in its beginning.”  Thus we see that the Greek comedy arose after tragedy, and, by consequence, tragedy was its parent.  It was formed in imitation of Eschylus, the inventor of the tragick drama; or, to go yet higher into antiquity, had its original from Homer, who was the guide of Eschylus.  For, if we credit Aristotle[8], comedy had its birth from the Margites, a satirical poem of Homer, and tragedy from the Iliad and Odyssey.  Thus the design and artifice of comedy were drawn from Homer and Eschylus.  This will appear less surprising, since the ideas of the human mind are always gradual, and arts are seldom invented but by imitation.

The first idea contains the seed of the second; this second, expanding itself, gives birth to a third; and so on.  Such is the progress of the mind of man; it proceeds in its productions, step by step, in the same manner as nature multiplies her works by imitating, or repeating her own act, when she seems most to run into variety.  In this manner it was that comedy had its birth, its increase, its improvement, its perfection, and its diversity.