for music, and for splendid ballets, is an indication of the power of their imagination, and manifests the necessity of rendering even the most serious subjects interesting to them, instead of heightening their severity as Alfieri has done.  The nation conceive it their duty to applaud what is grave and austere; but they soon return to their natural taste; however, tragedy might become highly pleasing to them if it were embellished by the charm and the variety of different kinds of poetry, and with all the divers theatrical attractions which the English and the Spaniards enjoy.

“The Aristodemus of Monti has in it something of the terrible pathos of Dante; and surely this tragedy is very justly one of the most admired.  Dante, that great master of various powers, possessed that kind of tragic genius which would have produced the most effect in Italy, if it could in any way be adapted to the stage; for that poet knew how to represent to the eye, what was passing at the bottom of the soul, and his imagination could make grief seen and felt.  If Dante had written tragedies, they would have been as striking to children as to men, to the illiterate crowd as to the polished few.  Dramatic literature ought to be popular; like some public event, the whole nation ought to judge of it.”

“When Dante was living,” said Oswald, “the Italians performed a distinguished part in the political drama of Europe.  Perhaps it would now be impossible for you to have a national tragic theatre:  it would be necessary for the existence of such a theatre, that great events should develop in life those sentiments which are expressed upon the stage.  Of all the masterpieces of literature, there is not one which depends so much upon the whole people as tragedy; the spectators contribute to it as much as the author.  Dramatic genius is composed of the public mind, of History, of government, of national customs, of everything, in fact, which each day blends itself with thought, and forms the moral being, as the air which we breathe nourishes physical existence.  The Spaniards, with whom you have some affinity as to climate and religion, are much superior to you in dramatic genius; their pieces are filled with their history, their chivalry, and their religious faith, and these pieces possess life and originality; but their success, in this respect, dates back to the epoch of their historical glory.  How then could it be possible now to establish in Italy, that which it never could boast of—­a genuine tragic drama!”

“It is unfortunately possible that you may be in the right,” replied Corinne; “however, I hope for greater things from the natural impulse of mind in Italy, and from the individual emulation of my countrymen, even when not favoured by external circumstances; but what we most want in tragedy is actors.  Affected words necessarily lead to false declamation; but there is no language in which an actor can display so much talent as in ours; for the