a place in which shows or dramatic representations are exhibited.

For the origin of the dramatic art we always turn our eyes to Greece, the nursery of the arts and sciences. It may indeed have been known among more ancient nations, nations, but no records remain sufficient to support this opinion. The different states of Greece asserted their claim to the honour of having given it birth, but the account of the Athenians is most generally received. It derived its origin from the hymns which were sung in the festivals of Bacchus in honour of that deity. While these refounded in the ears of the multitude, choruses of Bacchants and Fauns, ranged round certain obscene images which they carried in triumphal procession, chanted lascivious songs, and sometimes sacrificed individuals to public ridicule.

This was the practice in the cities; but a still greater licentiousness reigned in the worship paid to the same divinity by the inhabitants of the country, and especially at the season when they gathered the fruits of his beneficence. Vintagers, besmeared with wine lees, and intoxicated with joy and the juice of the grape, rode forth in their carts, and attacked each other on the road with gouts of sarcasms, revenging themselves on their neighbours with ridicule, and on the rich by publishing their injustice.

Among the poets who flourished at that time, some celebrated the great actions and adventures of gods and heroes, and others attacked with asperity the vices and absurdities of individuals. The former took Homer for their model, and supported themselves by his example, of which they made an improper use. Homer, the most tragic of poets, the model of all who have succeeded him, had in the Iliad and the Odyssey brought to perfection the heroic poem, and in his Margites had employed pleasantry. But as the charm of his works depends in a great measure on the passions and motion with which he knew to animate them, the poets who came after him endeavoured to introduce into theirs an action which might excite emotion or mirth in the spectators: some even attempted to produce both, and ventured certain rude essays, which have since been styled indifferently either tragedies or comedies, because they unite the characters of those two dramas. The authors of these sketches have been distinguished by no discovery; they only form in the history of the art a succession of names which it would be useless to recall to light.

The necessity and power of theatrical interest was already known. The hymns in honour of Bacchus, while they described his rapid progress and splendid conquests, became imitative; and in the contests of the Pythian games, the players on the flute who entered into competition were enjoined by an express law to represent successively the circumstances that had preceded, accompanied, and followed the victory of Apollo over Python.

Some years after this regulation, Sufarion and Thef- pis, both born in a small borough of Attica, named Icaria, appeared each at the head of a company of actors, the one on a kind of stage, the other in a cart (A). The former attacked the vices and absurdities of his time; and the latter treated more noble subjects, which he took from history.

The comedies of Sufarion were in the same taste with those indecent and satirical farces which were afterwards performed in some of the cities of Greece. They were long the favourite entertainment of the country people. Athens did not adopt this species of exhibition until after it was brought to perfection in Sicily.

Thefpis had more than once seen in the festivals, in which as yet hymns only were sung, one of the fingers, mounted on a table, form a kind of dialogue with the chorus. From this hint he conceived the idea of introducing into the tragedies an actor who, by simple recitals introduced at intervals, should give relief to the chorus, divide the action, and render it more interesting. This happy innovation, together with some other liberties in which he had allowed himself, gave alarm to the legislator of Athens, who was more able than any other person to discern the value or danger of the novelty. Solon condemned a species of composition in which the ancient traditions were disguised by fictions. "If we applaud falsehood in our public exhibitions (said he to Thefpis), we shall soon find that it will infatuate itself into our most sacred engagements."

The excessive approbation and delight with which both the city and country received the pieces of Thefpis and Sufarion, at once justified and rendered useless the suspicious foresight of Solon. The poets, who till then had only exercised their genius in dithyrambics and licentious satire, struck with the elegant forms which these species of composition began to assume, dedicated their talents to tragedy and comedy. Soon after a greater variety was introduced in the subjects of the former of these poems. Those who judged of their pleasures only from habit exclaimed, that these subjects were foreign to the worship of Bacchus; but the greater number thronged with still more eagerness after the new pieces.

Phrynius, the disciple of Thefpis, made choice of that kind of verse which is most suitable to the drama, was the author of some other changes, and left tragedy in its infancy.

Æschylus received it from his hands enveloped in a rude vestment, its visage covered with false colours, or a mask inexpresive of character, without either grace or dignity in its motions, inspiring the desire of an interest which it with difficulty excited, still attached to the buffooneries which had amused its infant years, and expressing its conceptions sometimes with elegance and dignity, but frequently in a feeble and low style, polluted with gross obscenities.

In his first tragedies he introduced a second actor; and afterwards, copying the example of Sophocles, who had just entered on his theatrical career, he admitted a third, and sometimes even a fourth. By this multiplicity of personages, one of his actors became the hero of the piece, and attracted to himself the principal interest; and as the chorus now held only a subaltern station, Æschylus took care to shorten its part, and perhaps even carried this precaution too far.

He is censured for having admitted mute characters into his drama. Achilles, after the death of his friend, and Niobe, after the destruction of her children, appear

(A) Sufarion represented his first pieces towards the year 580 before Christ. Some years after, Thefpis made his first attempts in tragedy, and acted his Alcestis in 536. on the stage, and remain during several scenes motionless, with their heads covered with a veil, and without uttering a word; but if their eyes had overflowed with tears, and they had poured forth the bitterest lamentations, could they have produced an effect so terrible as this veil, this silence, and this abandonment to grief?

It was not sufficient that the noble and elevated style of tragedy should leave in the minds of the auditors a strong impression of grandeur; to captivate the multitude, it was requisite that every part of the spectacle should concur to produce the same effect. It was then the general opinion that nature, by bestowing on the ancient heroes a more lofty stature, had imprest on their persons a majesty which procured them as much respect from the people as the ensigns of dignity by which they were attended. Aeschylus therefore raised his actors on high stilts or buskins. He covered their features, which were frequently disagreeable, with a mask that concealed their irregularity. He clothed them in flowing and magnificent robes, the form of which was so decent, that the priests of Ceres have not blushed to adopt it. The inferior actors were also provided with masks and dress suited to their parts.

Instead of those wretched scaffolds which were formerly erected in haste, he obtained a theatre furnished with machines, and embellished with decorations. Here the sound of the trumpet was reverberated, incense was seen to burn on the altars, the shades of the dead to arise from the tomb, and the furies to rush from the gulfs of Tartarus. In one of his pieces these infernal divinities appeared, for the first time, with masks of a horrid paleness, torches in their hands, serpents intertwined in their hair, and followed by a numerous retinue of dreadful spectres. It is said that, at the sight of them, and the sound of their terrific howlings, terror seized on the whole assembly, women miscarried, and children expired with fear; and that the magistrates, to prevent similar accidents in future, commanded that the chorus should consist only of fifteen actors instead of fifty.

The effect of so many new objects could not but astonish the spectators; nor were they less surprised and delighted at the intelligence displayed in the performance of the actors, whom Aeschylus almost always exercised himself. He regulated their steps, and taught them to give additional force to the action by new and expressive gestures.

The progress of the art was extremely rapid. Aeschylus was born 525 years before Christ, 11 years after Thespis had acted his Alcestis. He had for competitors Choerilus Pratenas, and Phryniichus, whose glory he eclipsed, and Sophocles, who rivalled his own. Sophocles was born about the year 497 B.C. about 14 years before Euripides. These carried tragedy to the highest perfection to which it attained among the Greeks. Aeschylus painted men greater than they can be, Sophocles as they ought to be, and Euripides as they are.

Invented towards the 50th Olympiad (about 580 B.C.), and adapted to the rude manners of the rustics, comedy ventured not to approach the capital; and if by chance some companies of actors, who were unconnected with any others, found their way into the city, and performed their indecent farces, they were less authorised than tolerated by the government. It was not till after a long infancy that this species of drama began suddenly to make a rapid improvement in Sicily. Instead of a succession of scenes without connection or tendency, the philosopher Epicharmus introduced an action, all the parts of which had a dependence on each other; and conducted his subject, without wandering from it, through a just extent to a determinate end. His pieces, subjected to the same laws of tragedy, were known in Greece, where they were considered as models; and comedy soon shared with her rival the suffrages of the public, and the homage due to genius. The Athenians, especially, received her with the same transports as they would have testified at the news of a victory: many of their poets exercised their genius in this novel species of composition; and their names adorn the numerous list of writers who have been distinguished in comedy from the time of Epicharmus. Such were, among the more ancient, Magnes, Cratinus, Crates, Pherecrates, Eupolis, and Aristophanes. They all flourished in the age of Pericles.

If we peruse the comic pieces which have come down to us, we shall be convinced that the sole object of the authors was to please the multitude. The gods and heroes were travestied, grofs and obscene language was often employed, and virulent invectives were often thrown out against individuals of the first rank for genius and virtue. Towards the end of the Peloponnesian war the licentiousness of comedy was restrained. The chorus was laid aside, because the rich citizens were alarmed, and would no longer contribute money to support it, nor provide masks with portraits for exposing individuals.

The poets being thus restrained from mentioning names of living persons on the stage, invented false names. They still exposed real and known characters; and thus gave a more exquisite gratification to the spectators, who were highly amused with finding out the persons intended. The consequence of the law was only to make that done with delicacy which was formerly done in the most indecent and scurrilous manner. Aristophanes, in some of his latest pieces, has given us some good examples of this kind of comedy, which is sometimes called the middle comedy.

Comedy was still liable to abuse, and therefore required farther reformation. As the use of real names had formerly been prohibited, real subjects were also forbidden; and comedy from that time was no longer a fury armed with torches, or a firebrand scattering mischief, but a pleasing and instructive companion. This is called the new comedy. The most eminent among the Greeks in this improved species was Menander. His writings are now lost; but we may form a good estimate of their merit from the comedies of Terence, which are said to have been borrowed from Menander, and to have nearly resembled the original, though inferior in that vis comica by which the elegant Grecian was distinguished. The comedy of Menander is that which has been cultivated in modern times.

To give some idea of a Grecian theatre, we shall describe very shortly the theatre of Bacchus in Athens, which was built by the famous architect Philos in the time of Pericles. The part intended for the spectators was of a semicircular form, at the diameter of which was erected the stage. The orchestra occupied the space where the pit in modern theatres is situated, where theatre. the music, the chorus, and the mimi were placed. It was four feet elevated above the ground. The spectators were arranged in three galleries round all the sides of the orchestra except that next the stage, each gallery containing eight rows of seats. At the farther end of the orchestra, where the stage is erected in modern theatres, flood the thymele or logecon, but projecting a little towards the audience. It was a little higher than the orchestra, and did not extend the whole breadth of it. In some theatres it was only fix feet square. Here the principal part of the chorus made their recitations, and in comical interludes the mimi performed. Behind the thymele appeared the stage or proscenion, considerably elevated. No part of this theatre was covered except the stage, and a high gallery called circys let apart for the women. The Athenians, being exposed to the weather, came usually with great cloaks, to secure them from the rain or the cold; and for defence against the sun they had the sciaudion, a kind of parafol, which the Romans used also in the theatres by the name of umbelle; but when a sudden storm arose, the play was interrupted, and the spectators dispersed.

A fort of tent-work over the entire area of the edifice might have been contrived as a shelter from the rain and a shade from the sun. Such a covering would have obviated the inconveniences of roofed theatres, which obstructed the free communication of the air, and of unroofed theatres, which do not keep out the weather. At Athens the plays were always represented in the daytime, which made the unroofed theatres less inconvenient.

Plays were represented only during the three festivals solemnized in honour of Bacchus. The first of these was celebrated at the Pireaus, where some of Euripides's pieces were first performed. The second, which lasted only one day, was kept at the end of January or beginning of February. The third, called the greater Dionysia, was celebrated a month after. It continued several days, and attracted a great multitude of spectators. In the festivals which lasted only one day, five or six dramatic pieces, either tragedies or comedies, were performed. But in the greater Dionysia, which continued longer, 12 or 15, and sometimes more, were acted. The performance began early in the morning, and sometimes lasted the whole day.

The chorus, according as the subject demanded, was composed of men and women, old men or youths, citizens or slaves, priests, soldiers, &c., to the number of 15 in tragedy, and 24 in comedy. The chorus came upon the stage preceded by a flute-player, who regulated their steps; sometimes one after the other, but in tragedy more frequently three in front and five in depth, or five in front and three in depth.

The same persons performed both in tragedy and comedy; but, as among ourselves, it was rare to meet with any who excelled in both. The pay of those who had acquired great reputation was considerable. Polus gained a talent in two days (equal to 225l. sterling *). Players of eminence were solicited by different actors of Greece to attend their festivals. If, after making an engagement, they failed, they were obliged to pay a certain sum of money; and if they were absent during the festivals of their own republic, they were condemned to a heavy fine.

The actors had habits and symbols suited to their parts. Kings wore a diadem, leaned on a sceptre which supported an eagle on its top, and were dressed in long robes of purple or other splendid colours ornamented with gold. Heroes, besides having their stature frequently increased to fix feet English †, and their bulk Arist. in proportion, were frequently covered with the skin of a lion or a tyger, and armed with swords, quivers, and clubs. All who suffered misfortunes wore a black, lib. v. brown, or dirty white garment, which frequently hung cap. 7. in tatters. There were various kinds of masks for tragedy, comedy, and satire. These certainly took away the pleasure arising from the expression of the countenance; but at any rate, little pleasure could be derived from this circumstance in a Grecian theatre, from its immense size, and the great diffance of the audience from the stage.

Dramatic entertainments were introduced at Rome in the year of the city 391. They were called ludi scenici, because they were first acted in a shade formed by the branches and leaves of trees. They were borrowed immediately from Etruria, whence also they received their first players. These Etrurians at first only danced to a flute, without either singing or acting. The Roman youth soon imitated them at their solemn festivals, adding raillery in rude verses, and gestures adapted to the subject. These verses were called Fesennini, from Fessennia, a city of Etruria. Livius Andronicus was the first poet who wrote a regular play in Latin. This happened in the year of Rome 512 or 514, about 160 years after the death of Sophocles and Euripides, and 52 after that of Menander. The Grecian model was afterwards introduced and cultivated much by succeeding dramatic writers. This was the model of Menander, for the old and middle comedy was unknown at Rome. As the Romans were only imitators of the Greeks in the dramatic art, as well as in most of the arts and sciences, nothing more is necessary to be said in addition to the account which we have already given of the Grecian stage.

The origin of the English stage is hid in obscurity. It was not, however, copied from the Grecian or Roman; for it was evidently different in form as well as in matter, and may with more propriety be deduced from a Gothic original. It appears that there were theatrical entertainments in England almost as early as the conquest; for we are told by William Stephaniades or Fitz-Stephen, a monk, who in the reign of Henry II. wrote man's His Descriptio Nobilissime Civitatis Londoniae, that sazine for "London, instead of the common interludes of the the." At this time there were also certain sets of idle people, who travelled the countries and were called Mummers, a kind of vagrant comedians, whose excellence consisted altogether in mimickry and humour.

It is probable that, soon after this time, the dramatic representations called Mysteries were exhibited: These mysteries were taken from scripture-history: some represented the creation of the world, with the fall of Adam and Eve; some the story of Joseph; and others even the incarnation and sufferings of the Son of God. These pieces were exhibited in a manner so ridiculous as to favour libertinism and infidelity, as appears by a petition of the chaunters of St Paul's cathedral to Richard II. in 1378, praying, that "some unexpert people might be prohibited from representing the history of the Old Testament to the prejudice of the said clergy, who had been at great expence to represent it publicly at Christmas."

In the year 1392, the parish clerks of London are said to have played interludes at Skinner's-well on three successive days in July; and, in 1409, to have acted for eight days successively a play concerning the creation of the world, at the same place which thence acquired the name of Clerkenwell.

These Mysteries were succeeded by Moralities, in which there were some rude traces of a fable and a moral; and some also of poetry, the virtues, vices, and other affections of the mind being frequently personified.

After these Moralities came what were called Interludes, which made some approaches to wit and humour. Many of these pieces were written by John Heywood, jester to Henry VIII.

In the time of Henry VIII. one or two pieces had been published under the classical names of Comedy and Tragedy, but they appear not to have been intended for popular use. It was not till the religious ferment had subsided that the public had leisure to attend to dramatic poetry. In the reign of Elizabeth, tragedies and comedies began to appear in form, and could the poets have persevered, the first models were good. Gorboduc, a regular tragedy, was acted in 1561; and Gascoigne, in 1566, exhibited Jocasta, a translation from Euripides, as also The Supposes, a regular comedy, from Ariosto, near 30 years before any of Shakespeare's were printed.

The people, however, still retained a relish for their old mysteries and moralities, and the popular dramatic poets seem to have made them their models. The graver sort of moralities appear to have given birth to our modern tragedy; as our comedy evidently took its rise from the lighter interludes of that kind. And as most of these pieces contain an absurd mixture of religion and buffoonery, an eminent critic has well deduced from thence the origin of our unnatural tragi-comedies. Even after the people had been accustomed to tragedies and comedies, moralities still kept their ground. One of them, entitled The New Calum, was printed so late as 1573. At length they assumed the name of masques, and, with some classical improvements, became in the two following reigns the favourite entertainments of the court.

As for the old mysteries, which ceased to be acted after the reformation, they seem to have given rise to a third species of stage exhibition; which, though now confounded with tragedy or comedy, was by our first dramatic writers considered as quite distinct from them both: these were historical plays, or histories; a species of dramatic writing which resembled the old mysteries in representing a series of historical events simply in the order of time in which they happened, without any regard to the three great unities. These pieces seem to differ from tragedy just as much as historical poems do from epic: as the Pharfalia does from the Aeneid. What might contribute to make dramatic poetry take this turn was, that soon after the mysteries ceased to be exhibited, there was published a large collection of poetical narratives, called the Mirror for Magistrates, where-

in a great number of the most eminent characters in English history are drawn relating their own misfortunes. This book was popular and of a dramatic cast; and therefore, as an elegant writer has well observed, might have its influence in producing historic plays. These narratives probably furnished the subjects, and the ancient mysteries suggested the plan.

That our old writers considered historical plays as somewhat distinct from tragedy and comedy, appears from numberless passages of their works. "Of late days (says Stow in his Survey of London), instead of those stage plays have been used comedies, tragedies, interludes, and histories, both true and fained." Beaumont and Fletcher, in the prologue to the Captain, say,

"This is nor comedy, nor tragedy, Nor history."

Polonius in Hamlet commends the actors as the best in the world, either for tragicke, comedie, historie, pastoral, &c. And Shakespeare's friends, Heminge and Condell, in the first folio edition of his plays, in 1623, have not only intitled their book "Mr William Shakespear's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies," but, in their table of contents, have arranged them under those three several heads; placing in the class of histories, "King John, Richard II. Henry IV. two parts, Henry V. Henry VI. three parts, Richard III. and Henry VIII."

This distinction deserves the attention of the critics: for if it be the first canon of sound criticism to examine any work by those rules the author preferred for his first observance; then we ought to try Shakespeare's histories by the general laws of tragedy and comedy. Whether the rule itself be vicious or not, is another inquiry; but certainly we ought to examine a work only by those principles according to which it was composed. This would save much impertinent criticism.

Not fewer than 19 playhouses had been opened before the year 1633, when Prynne published his Histrio-mastix. From this writer we learn that tobacco, wine, and beer, were in those days the usual accommodations in the theatre, as now at Sadlers Wells. With regard to the ancient prices of admission, the playhouse called the Hope had five different priced seats, from sixpence to half-a-crown. Some houses had penny benches. The two-penny gallery is mentioned in the prologue to Beaumont and Fletcher's Woman-hater; and seats of threepence and a groat in the passage of Prynne last referred to. But the general price of what is now called the Pit seems to have been a shilling. The time of exhibition was early in the afternoon, their plays being generally acted by day-light. All female parts were performed by men, no actresses being ever seen on the public stage before the civil wars. And as for the playhouse furniture and ornaments, they had no other scenes nor decorations of the stage, but only old tapestry, and the stage strewed with rushes, with habits accordingly; as we are assured in a short Discourse on the English Stage, subjoined to Flecknoe's Love's-Kingdom, 1674, 12mo.

(B) For the state of the theatre during the time of Shakespeare, see PLAYHOUSE; where a full account of it Theatre. it is given from the late valuable edition of our illustrious poet's works by Mr Malone. During the whole reign of James I. the theatre was in great prosperity and reputation: dramatic authors abounded, and every year produced a number of new plays; it became a fashion for the nobility to celebrate their weddings, birthdays, and other occasions of rejoicing, with masques and interludes, which were exhibited with surprising expense; our great architect, Inigo Jones, being frequently employed to furnish decorations, with all the luxuriance of his invention and magnificence of his art. The king and his lords, and the queen and her ladies, frequently performed in these masques at court, and the nobility at their private houses; nor was any public entertainment thought complete without them. This taste for theatrical entertainments continued during great part of the reign of King Charles I.; but, in the year 1633, it began to be opposed by the Puritans from the pres; and the troubles that soon after followed entirely suspended them till the restoration of King Charles II. in 1660.

The king, at his restoration, granted two patents, one to Henry Killigrew, Esq. and the other to Sir William Davenant, and their heirs and assigns, for forming two distinct companies of comedians. Killigrew's were called the King's Servants, and Davenant's the Duke's Company. About ten of the company called the King's Servants were on the royal household establishment, having each ten yards of scarlet cloth, with a proper quantity of lace allowed them for liveries; and in their warrants from the lord chamberlain they were styled gentlemen of the great chamber.

Till this time no woman had been seen upon the English stage, the characters of women having always been performed by boys, or young men of an effeminate aspect, which probably induced Shakespeare to make so few of his plays depend upon female characters, as they must have been performed to great disadvantage. The principal characters of his women are innocence and simplicity, such are Desdemona and Ophelia; and his specimen of fondness and virtue in Portia is very short. But the power of real and beautiful women was now added to the stage; and all the capital plays of Shakespeare, Fletcher, and Ben Jonson, were divided between the two companies, by their own alternate choice, and the approbation of the court.

The king's servants seem to have been allowed to be the best company; and when the variety of plays began to be exhausted, they drew the greater audiences. Davenant, therefore, to make head against them, first added spectacle and music to action, and introduced a new species of plays, since called dramatic operas; among these were, The Tempest, Pygmalion, and Circe; which, with many others, were set off with the most expensive decorations of scenes and habits, and with the best voices and dancers.

In 1684 the two houses united, and continued together for ten years. In 1690 the play began at four o'clock; and, we are told, the ladies of fashion used to take the evening air in Hyde-park after the representation; by which it appears that the exhibitions were in summer too. The principal actors were, Betterton, Montfort, Kynaston, Sandford, Nokes, Underhill, and Leigh, commonly called Tony Leigh; the actresses were, Mrs Betterton, Barry, Leigh, Butler, Montfort, and Bracegirdle; and to this company, in this year, old Cibber was admitted as a performer in the lowest rank. It was a rule with the patentees, that no young person, who offered himself as an actor, should be admitted into pay till after at least half a year's probation; and Cibber waited full three quarters of a year before he was taken into a salary of 10s. a-week.

In 1695 a new theatre was opened with Mr Congreve's comedy of Love for Love, which had such extraordinary success (ays Cibber) that scarce any other play was acted there till the end of the season; but when the season ended, which appears to have begun in June, he does not tell us, and it is indeed difficult to guess; for though the company acted in summer, it seems improbable that they should shut up the house in winter, as it is difficult to conceive any reason for so doing. Congreve was then in such high reputation, that this company offered him a whole share (but into how many shares the whole was divided Colley has not told us) upon condition he would give them a new play every year. This offer he accepted, and received the advantage, though he never fulfilled the condition; for it was three years before he produced the Mourning Bride, and three more before he gave them the Way of the World.

It is not necessary that we give in detail the remaining history of the English stage: those who are anxious to be acquainted with it may consult Cibber's history of the stage, continued by Victor, under the title of A History of the Theatres of London and Dublin from the year 1730. We shall only mention a few facts respecting the salaries of the players about that period, and the rise of the price of play tickets.

A difference having arisen in 1733 between the managers and actors, most of the actors set up for themselves at the little theatre in the Haymarket. Upon this the managers published the following account of their salaries, to show the public how little room they had to mutiny. To Mr Colley Cibber, from the time of letting his share till he left the stage, 12l. 12s. per week. Mr The. Cibber 5l. and his wife's whole salary Gentleman's Magazine for the greatest part of the winter; and his own also, during the time of his being ill, who performed but seldom till after Christmas. Mr Mills jun. 3l. under the same circumstances with regard to his wife. Mr Mills sen. 1l. per day for 200 days certain, and a benefit clear of all charges. Mr Johnston 5l. Mr Miller 3l. paid him eight weeks before he acted, besides a present of 10 guineas. Mr Harper 4l. and a present of 10 guineas. Mr Griffin 4l. and a present. Mr Shepard 3l. Mr Hallam, for himself and father (though the latter is of little or no service) 3l. Mrs Heron 5l. raised from 40s. last winter, yet refused to play several parts assigned her,

omit, however, to inform our readers what Mr Malone says of the old plays, viz., that not one play published before 1592 will bear a second reading; and that exclusive of mysteries, moralities, and translations, there are but 34 pieces extant which were published before that period. her, and acted but seldom this season. Mrs Butler 3l. per week. By these and other salaries, with the incident charges (besides clothes and scenes), the patentees are at the daily charge of 49l. odd money, each acting-day.

Till about the same time, the prices at the theatre were 4s. the boxes, 2s. 6d. the pit, 1s. 6d. the first gallery, and 1s. the second, except upon the first run of a new play or pantomime, when the boxes were 5s. the pit 3s. the first gallery 2s. and the second 1s. But Fleetwood thought fit to raise the prices for an old pantomime, which was revived without expence. This produced a riot for several nights, and at last a number deputed by the pit had an interview with the manager in the green room, where it was agreed, that the advanced prices should be constantly paid at the doors, and that such persons as did not choose to stay the entertainment should have the advanced part of their money returned. This was a very advantageous agreement for the manager; because, when the audience had once paid their money, and were seated, very few went out at the end of the play, and demanded their advanced money; the few that did it at first, soon grew tired, and at last it settled in the quiet payment of the advanced price, as at this day.

It has been frequently a subject of debate, whether the stage be favourable to morals. We do not mean to enter into the controversy; but we shall make an observation or two. It will be allowed by all, that the intention of the players in acting, is to procure money; and the intention of the audience in attending the theatre, is to seek amusement. The players then will only act such plays as they believe will answer their intention. And what sort of plays are these? They are such as correspond with the opinions, manners, and taste, of the audience. If the taste of the audience be gross, therefore the plays will be gross; if delicate and refined, they will be the fame. And if we go back to the time of Shakespeare, we shall find that this has been uniformly the case. The conclusion, then, which we draw, is this, if the taste of the audience be pure, free from licentiousness, the plays will be the fame, and the stage will be favourable to virtue.