ventor and father. Father
Brumoi, in a dissertation which abounds with wit and good sense, explains
the manner in which AEschylus conceived the true idea of tragedy from
Homer's epic poems. The poet himself used to say, that his works were the
remnants of the feasts given by Homer in the _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_.

Tragedy therefore took a new form under him. He gave masks(179) to his
actors, adorned them with robes and trains, and made them wear buskins.
Instead of a cart, he erected a theatre of a moderate elevation, and
entirely changed their style; which from being merry and burlesque, as at
first, became majestic and serious.

Eschyle dans le choeur jetta les personages:
D'un masque plus honnete habilla les visages:
Sur les ais d'un theatre en public exhausse
Fit paroitre l'acteur d'un brodequin chausse.(180)

From AEschylus the chorus learnt new grace:
He veil'd with decent masks the actor's face,
Taught him in buskins first to tread the stage,
And rais'd a theatre to please the age.

But that was only the external part or body of tragedy. Its soul, which
was the most important and essential addition of AEschylus, consisted in
the vivacity and spirit of the action, sustained by the dialogue of the
persons of the drama introduced by him; in the artful working up of the
stronger passions, especially of terror and pity, which, by alternately
afflicting and agitating the soul with mournful or terrible objects,
produce a grateful pleasure and delight from that very trouble and
emotion; in the choice of a subject, great, noble, interesting, and
contained within due bounds by the unity of time, place, and action: in
short, it is the conduct and disposition of the whole piece, which, by the
order and harmony of its parts, and the happy connection of its incidents
and intrigues, holds the mind of the spectator in suspense till the
catastrophe, and then restores him his tranquillity, and dismisses him
with satisfaction.

The chorus had been established before AEschylus, as it composed alone, or
next to alone, what was then called tragedy. He did not therefore exclude
it, but, on the contrary, thought fit to incorporate it, to sing as chorus
between the acts. Thus it supplied the interval of resting, and was a kind
of person of the drama, employed either(181) in giving useful advice and
salutary instructions, in espousing the party of innocence and virtue, in
being the depository of secr