in their Diflike. But they are mistaken in their own Tafte; and was Phaedra and Hippolitus again acted before an understanding Audience, it would again be condemn'd. To know the Meaning of this, we must fet the Greek Plays in a Light, in which, to the beft of my Knowledge, they have never been confider'd by any Critick, either Antient or Modern.

The Pagan Religion confifted wholly in outward Shew; Sacrifices were to be made, and Feafts celebrated in Honour of their Gods: but the Founders of that Religion had laid down no Precepts for their Followers to walk by, nor had they taken care to inculcate Morality in their Difciples, or a due Veneration for the Gods; and it was impoffible but that their Religion must lead them into the very contraries, their Gods being reprefented to 'em as immoral and unworthy of Veneration; and therefore the wife Men of all Ages took the best Care they could to inftill Virtue in the People. Athens, the Seat of Wisdom, and Refidence of the greatest Philofophers, thought no Method fo proper as Stage Plays for inftructing the common People, who there, as well as in other Parts of Greece, were very ignorant. To this end, they built a Stage, retained Actors, fome of the moft learned Men amongst 'em writ Plays, and the Doors of the Theatre were always open, fo that People went there to hear the Actors preach; for other Sermons they had none. Euripides made a very confiderable Figure there, and is faid to have wrote Seventyfive Plays for the Inftruction of his Countrymen. Plays being confider'd in this Light, it was no wonder to fee the ancient Bard fhew by the Example of Polymneftor, how carefully we shou'd fhun Avarice, which leads us into the Commiffion of fo many Sins, as Rapines, Murders, &c. and by his falling by the Hands of Hecuba, he taught that the Judgments of Heaven are just, and makes ufe of the weakeft and moft defpifed Means to work its End. This was the chief Aim of the Grecian Drama, and its Writers were in the highest Veneration amongst the People. Socrates was fo much esteem'd in Athens for the Plays he had writ, that the Rulers of the City durft not deftroy him, even tho' they had Religion for their Pretence, till they had taken the fame Means to decry him that he had used to raise himself. Aristophanes, a Comick Poet, was employ'd to ridicule him; and when they had fufficiently brought him into Contempt, they ventured to ftrike the Blow. Thus even in thofe carly Days were Sermons fometimes made ufe of to ferve very indifferent Purposes. This

This being the true State of the Athenian Theatre, 'twas not to be expected they fhould obferve that Juftnefs and Propriety of Characters, with the other Decorums, which are expected in Moderns. It was enough that a thing conduced to their Purpose, to bring it upon the Stage, no matter who was to fpeak or act it; and in fuch a cafe they would allow Therfites to be polite, and Achilles foft. But not to dwell too long upon the Subject; I'll allow that it is poffible that in the Days of Euripides, his Hecuba might be a Woman of a brave and noble Spirit, Ulysses a thorough Politician, Agamemnon a just Judge, and Polymneftor a crafty Villain; but upon a modern Stage they'll appear in a very different Light. Hecuba and her Woman are an unnatural Mixture of crying, fcolding, praying, blood-thirsty Women, who commit greater Barbarities than thofe they complain of; and can, not in the Heat of Blood, but cooly and deliberately murder two Children before their Father's Face, and then put out his Eyes: I am not fure whether they don't ravish him too; for in his Complaints to Agamemnon he fays, She gave me to her Women, the Reverse of which Phrafe I have often heard ufed on that Occafion. Had Polymneftor had any Cunning in him, he would have buried Polydor deep in the Sands, as Virgil has done, and not had him thrown off the Rock, when he was murder'd, into the Sea, when it was a hundred to one but the Waves would throw him upon the Shore. The wife Ulyffes is a Compound of the Knave and Fool; his Knavery he owns, and triumphs in it, which none but a Fool would do: And Agamemnon is a bufy, enquiring Fellow, but very flow of Comprehenfion. In fhort, that great Judge of the Greeks, that King of Kings, would make but a very fcurvy Figure nowa-days in the Character of a Juftice of the Peace.

Our Quality feem pretty well tir'd of Masquerading, the Expence of which is very great, and the Diverfion very fmall; for which Reason I am afraid the Subscribers often difpofe of the Tickets they were oblig'd to take, amongst their Domesticks and She-Friends; and indeed at two and indeed at two Mafquerades this Seafon, one would have thought half the Company compofed of fuch fort of People; the Men got drunk and quarrel'd,and fome of the Women had no great Reason to boaft of their being fober. In fhort, their whole Behaviour was fuch, that I am apt to believe the few People of Fashion who were there, were fo furfeited of Mafquerades, that

F 2

they

they won't be overfond of 'em for the future. And for this Reafon, I believe, the Undertaker will fcarce venture to give the Town one after Lent.

The next thing to be taken notice of is Elifa, an Opera of a foreign Growth, and of which they promis'd us Wonders before it was brought over. But when it arrived, we foon found to our Coft, that its being far fetch'd and dear bought was the only thing that could recommend it: But even that would not do long, and Audiences grew fo thin, that the Royal Academy, for fear of making another Call, was oblig'd to drop it, and Mr. Handel had the Satisfaction of feeing an old Opera of his not only fill the Houfe, which had not been done for a confiderable time before; but People crowding fo faft to it, that above 300 were turn'd away for want of room. I cannot help obferving on this Occafion, that as much as fome defpifed her, Signora Duraftanti was very much mifs'd on this Occafion.

The Female Fortune-Teller was much better receiv'd at Lincoln's Inn, than Hecuba at Drury-Lane. The latter was extremely hiss'd the three Nights they play'd it; the former with the Affiftance of Harlequin went quietly enough to the fixth, but the Plot and Language of it are very low. As there was fome Bufinefs and Buftle in it, it went down pretty well upon the Stage, but I am afraid will never bear reading; whereas Hecuba will certainly be much better in the Clofet than it was in the Action. I will not enter into a serious Criticism upon this Comedy, I fhall just obferve that he has made Fools of his three Ladies, and of one of his five Gentlemen. The Tricks put upon Sir Charles are too grofs to be put upon any thing but an Ideot; at least we ought to have been told that Sir Charles was purblind, and could not fee a Trapdoor open for the Conveniency of the fuppofed Ghoft. It is prepofterous to think Sir Charles fights with a Rival at the Bath, dangerously wounds him, and then comes up to Town, and appears publickly every Day; yet never enquires, or once receives an Account from any of his Friends, whether this Man be alive or dead. The Rival too comes up toTown, and by the Affiftance of a cunning Woman, perfuades his Mistress she must not marry Sir

* Otho.

Charles,

Charles, and juft when he has compafs'd his Point, marries another Woman hinfelf. Ridiculous and abfurd!

As for Harlequin's Metamorphofes, and the Burgomafter trick'd, they are Entertainments below the Cenfure of a Critick; nor cou'd I in Juftice defcend to thefe, without taking notice of thofe other Diverfions, which are upon the fame, if not a better Footing. Fawks's Slight of Hand, in my Opinion, excels, every Trick fhew'd us at both Houses; his Musical Clock is far more agreeable to my Ear, than the eight boasted Songsters; and Clench of Barnet is acknowledg'd to excel both Houfes in a hunting Scene. I fhou'd not on this Occafion forget Mr. Powel, who intending to put in for his Share of Fame, has order'd a Go-cart to be made for his little Tumbling Puppet to appear in next Winter.

Foreign Tranfactions.

HERE are very little Alterations in the Affairs of Europe fince our laft. The King of Spain indeed has publickly talk'd of a Grand Alliance upon the Point of being concluded be tween him, the Emperor of Germany, and the Czarina; but notwithstanding this, the Alliance is not fo near concluded as is perhaps imagin'd; and when it is, probably 'twill not answer the Ends the several Contracting Powers have in view. The Czarina, for fear of being attack'd by the Turks, was willing the Emperor fhould engage to defend her Conquefts in Perfia, which his Imperial Majefty could by no means come into; he feem'd very ready not to concern himfelf with the Ottomans, provided they would not concern themselves with him; but he rather wanted the Cza rina to enter into an Alliance for the Guaranty and Potection of all their European Dominions, Rights, &c. probably fuppofing that her whole Fleet would appear to defend the Oftend Trade against all other Maritime Powers: But the Ruffian Empress does not feem to relifh the Thoughts of engaging with her Weftern Neighbours,.. when she has fo much to apprehend from the South This 'tis that has fpun out their Negotiations to fo much a greater Length than they at firft expected, and may at laft oblige 'em to fign a Treaty, from which neither of the Parties will reap any confide rablé Advantage.

There

There has been a Negotiation, or rather Notification, which has very much alarm'd this Grand Alliance: Mr. Stanyan, the English Ambaffador at Conftantinople, has notified to the Prime Vifier the Treaty concluded at Hanover; and it was thought, that as foon as the Marquis D'Andrezel, the French Ambaffador, had done the fame, a Grand Divan would be affembled, in which the Turks may probably concert fuch Measures, as will prove disagreeable to fome European Powers. Not that there is any Danger of the Ottomans acceding to the Treaty of Hanover; their Religion forbids ftrict Alliances with Chriftian Princes; but fhould any Commotions happen in Europe, 'tis probable they would lay hold of any Advantage for the Recovery of Belgrade, a Place of the utmoft Importance to 'em, and the Lofs of which they cannot

well brook.

The Proceedings of the Hanover Allies give a great deal of Uneafinefs to the Court of Rome, one of whofe great Aims has all along been the Extirpation of Proteftantifm; and therefore they cannot but with the utmoft Indignation fee an Alliance, which appears to be calculated as well for the Support of that Religion,as for maintaining a juft Balance in Europe; and they are afraid of feeing the Grievances of the Reformed fhortly redrefs'd both in Germany and Poland. What ftill adds to this Uneafinefs is, that the Allies are not all Proteftants, and therefore the Pope has spared no Remonftrances, no Treaties, which might draw off the King of France; but he has had the Mortification, not only of finding all his Endeavours. ufelefs, but of feeing that other Princes of the fame Communion have the utmoft Inclination to accede to that Treaty.

The Pretender continues at Rome without any Prospect, or indeed feeming Defire, of being reconciled to the Princess Sobieski. There has been much Talk of his leaving that Refidence, at least for fome time, and of taking a Journey to a certain Court; but private Letters from Rome fay, that all Thoughts of this Nature are laid afide, he having Reafon to apprehend that if he fhould once leave that City, he might not at his Return thither be received in the fame manner as he is now entertain❜d. It was rumour'd there, that Prince James Sobieski would come to Rome this Spring, and fetch away his Daughter. There is little elfe material from thence: Cardinal Tolomei is dead, by which there is a 5th Vacancy in the College of Cardinals. There feems to be fome

Gold