y be made an
exercise for the mind, as against an especial fault of the age. The
uses of knowledge in forming the intellectual and moral character, are
too commonly overlooked; and the possession itself being viewed as a
peculiar good, short ways are on all subjects excogitated for avoiding
the labour of learning; whereas the very length and process of the
journey is in many the chief, in all an important advantage.

But, dismissing a train of thought which would soon lead us very far
from the range of subjects which the _Theatre of the Greeks_
introduces to our notice, we propose to offer some speculations of our
own on Greek tragedy and poetry in general, founded on the doctrine of
Aristotle as contained in the publication before us. A compilation of
standard works, (and such in its general character is the _Greek
Theatre_,) scarcely affords the occasion of lengthened criticism on
itself; whereas it may be of use to the classical student to add some
further illustrations of the subject which is the common basis of the
works compiled.

Aristotle considers the excellence of a tragedy to depend upon its
_plot_--and, since a tragedy, as such, is obviously the exhibition of
an _action_, no one can deny his statement to be abstractedly true.
Accordingly he directs his principal attention to the economy of the
fable; determines its range of subjects, delineates its proportions,
traces its progress from a complication of incidents to their just
and satisfactory arrangement, investigates the means of making a train
of events striking or affecting, and shows how the exhibition of
character may be made subservient to the purposes of the action. His
treatise is throughout interesting and valuable. It is one thing,
however, to form the beau ideal of a tragedy on scientific principles;
another to point out the actual beauty of a particular school of
dramatic composition. The Greek tragedians are not generally
felicitous in the construction of their plots. Aristotle, then, rather
tells us what tragedy should be, than what Greek tragedy really was.
And this doubtless was the intention of the philosopher. Since,
however, the Greek drama has obtained so extended and lasting a
celebrity, and yet its excellence does not fall under the strict rules
of the critical art, we should inquire in what it consists.

That the charm of Greek tragedy does not ordinarily arise from
scientific correctness of plot, is certain as a matter of fact. Se