inious death by the justice of our laws, endeavours to make
the reader merry on so improper an occasion by those poor burlesque
expressions of tragical dramas and monthly performances.--I am,
Sir, with great respect, your most obedient, most humble servant,

"PHILOMEDES."

ON DRAMATIC CRITICS

(_Addison in the "Spectator_")

No. 592. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1714.

"--Studium sine divite veni."
HOR. ARS POET. 409.

"Art without a vein."
ROSCOMMON.

I look upon the playhouse as a world within itself. They have lately
furnished the middle region of it with a new set of meteors, in order
to give the sublime to many modern tragedies. I was there last winter
at the first rehearsal of the new thunder,[A] which is much more deep
and sonorous than any hitherto made use of. They have a Salmonus
behind the scenes who plays it off with great success. Their
lightnings are made to flash more briskly than heretofore; their
clouds are also better furbelowed, and more voluminous; not to mention
a violent storm locked up in a great chest, that is designed for the
"Tempest." They are also provided with above a dozen showers of snow,
which, as I am informed, are the plays of many unsuccessful poets
artificially cut and shredded for that use. Mr. Rymer's "Edgar" is to
fall in snow, at the next acting of "King Lear," in order to heighten,
or rather to alleviate, the distress of that unfortunate prince; and
to serve by way of decoration to a piece which that great critic has
written against.

[Footnote A: Mr. Dennis's new and approved method of making thunder.
Dennis had contrived this thunder for the advantage of his tragedy of
"Appius and Virginia"; the players highly approved of it, and it is
the same that is used at the present day. Notwithstanding the effect
of this thunder, however, the play was coldy received, and laid aside.
Some nights after, Dennis being in the pit at the representation of
"Macbeth," and hearing the thunder made use of, arose from his seat in
a violent passion, exclaiming with an oath, that that was his thunder.
"See (said he) how these rascals use me: they will not let my play
run, and yet they steal my thunder."--"Notes on the _Spectator_."]

I do not indeed wonder that the actors should be such professed
enemies to those among our nation who are commonly known by the name
of critics, since it is a rule among these gentlemen to fall upon a
play, not because it is ill written, but because