LECTURE XL VI,

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TRAGEDY-GREEK-FRENCIi-ENGLISH i[1M

TRAGEDY.

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XT A.VLNG treated of the Dramatic Action inTragedy, I proceed next to treat of the Char- ^alters moft proper to be exhibited. It has beenthought, by feveral Critics, that the nature of , t j, £Tragedy requires the principal perfonages to be , J! 2 .always of illuftrious character, and of high, or ;Mprincely rank; whofe misfortunes and fufferings, 2it is faid, take fafter hold of the imagination, ^and imprefs the heart more forcibly, than fimilar .j ;( jevents happening to perfons in private life. Butthis is more fpecious, than folid. it is refuted by t0fads. For the diflreffes ofDefdemona, Monimia, , c j|and-Belvidera, interefl us as deeply as if theyhad been princeffes or queens. The dignity of ^Tragedy does , indeed, require, that there fliould ^be nothing degrading, or mean, in the circura-fiances of the perfons which it exhibits; but itrequires nothing more. Their high rank may ^render the fpedacle more fplendid, and the fubjecl

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