HINTS

FOR

AN ESSAY ON THE DRAMA.

NOTE.

These hints appear to have been first thoughts, which were probably intended to be amplified and connected, and so worked up into a regular dissertation.  No date appears of the time when they were written, but it was probably before the year 1765.

HINTS

FOR AN ESSAY ON THE DRAMA.

It is generally observed that no species of writing is so difficult as the dramatic.  It must, indeed, appear so, were we to consider it upon one side only.  It is a dialogue, or species of composition which in itself requires all the mastery of a complete writer with grace and spirit to support.  We may add, that it must have a fable, too, which necessarily requires invention, one of the rarest qualities of the human mind.  It would surprise us, if we were to examine the thing critically, how few good original stories there are in the world.  The most celebrated borrow from each other, and are content with some new turn, some corrective, addition, or embellishment.  Many of the most celebrated writers in that way can claim no other merit.  I do not think La Fontaine has one original story.  And if we pursue him to those who were his originals, the Italian writers of tales and novels, we shall find most even of them drawing from antiquity, or borrowing from the Eastern world, or adopting and decorating the little popular stories they found current and traditionary in their country.  Sometimes they laid the foundation of their tale in real fact.  Even after all their borrowing from so many funds, they are still far from opulent.  How few stories has Boccace which are tolerable, and how much fewer are there which you would desire to read twice!  But this general difficulty is greatly increased, when we come to the drama.  Here a fable is essential,—­a fable which is to be conducted with rapidity, clearness, consistency, and surprise, without any, or certainly with very little, aid from narrative.  This is the reason that generally nothing is more dull in telling than the plot of a play.  It is seldom or never a good story in itself; and in this particular, some of the greatest writers, both in ancient and modern theatres, have failed in the most miserable manner.  It is well a play has still so many requisites to complete it, that, though the writer should not succeed in these particulars, and therefore should be so far from perfection, there are still enough left in which he may please, at less expense of labor to himself, and perhaps, too, with more real advantage to his auditory.  It is, indeed, very difficult happily to excite the passions and draw the characters of men; but our nature leads us more directly to such paintings than to the invention of a story.  We are imitative animals; and we are more naturally led to imitate the exertions of