contended for the crown, and many contended, was obliged to present three tragedies and a satiric piece : it might therefore be curious to calculate the expence of exhibiting a single tragedy, and probably it would come out much less than that of bringing a new play upon our stage.-Had these observations fallen from the pen of an obscure writer, they would have been suffered to sink in oblivion; but the well-acquired reputation of the author of the Sketches of the History of Man makes it proper to take this notice of them. The translator's attempt to present the tragedies of Eschylus to the English reader has been honoured with so candid and favourable a reception, that he is encouraged to offer Euripides also to the public; the same care and attention have been applied, whether with equal success, the public will now judge. In Eschylus he found difficulties enough; in translating Euripides he finds one of a peculiar nature, of which the best judges of writing will be most sensible: the sublime and daring imagination of the former, expressed in the strongest and most vivid glow of colouring, animates and inspires; but in Euripides there is much of what the ancient critics called aλav, tenui oratione et scripturâ levi, yet sweet and delicate through the melody and rythmus of the Greek language, and the poet's wonderful skill in the structure of his words, in which he was so elaborately curious, that sometimes he did not compose more than three verses in three days this simple unraised style has given the translator the most trouble of any part of this poet's works, and probably he will please least where he has laboured most; yet, though he found it impossible to equal the melody of the original, he did not think it allowable to attempt to elevate its simplicity; for in such cases : those who are most capable of judging will think that nimium quod est offendit vehementius, quam id quod videtur parum. In deference to the opinion of some persons, who want notes as little as the translator likes to deform his page with them, some few notes are here subjoined. With regard to these, considering the various readers an English book may have, who will prescribe the proper measure? what is enough? what is not too much? Annotations are not properly the province of the translator, but of the critic; and great are his services to literature; to the acumen of Valckenaer, to the extensive learning, the solid judgment, and the amiable candour of Markland, the admirers of Euripides are greatly indebted; they have done much, but much yet remains to be done. The translator feels, and most gratefully acknowledges, the honour done him by many persons of the greatest eminence both in station and learning. He wishes that the translation may be found in some degree to merit this generous encouragement; he can only say, that it is not negligently done, and that it is at least faithful; it may give an agreeable and a rational amusement to the English ladies, whose education does not generally lead them to an acquaintance with the Greek language; and an endeavour to revive the manly simplicity of the ancients cannot be unuseful to any persons in any age. SCARNING, PERSONS OF THE DRAMA. BACCHUS. TIRESIAS. CADMUS. PENTHEUS. AGAVE. OFFICER. MESSENGERS. CHORUS OF ASIATIC BACCHE. THE BACCH Æ. THIS tragedy is of a singular nature, and very dif ferent from any thing that remains to us of the Athenian theatre: the best critics have ranked it among the finest tragedies of Euripides; and in respect of its composition it is so; but to us it is the least interesting of any of them; for we cannot so far assume the prejudices and sentiments of a Grecian audience as to be affected with a story of their Bacchus and his frantic Mænades; yet we can be sensible to fine writing, and the distress of Cadmus and Agave in the last scene is touched with a masterly hand. But it is peculiarly valuable for its learning, as it gives us the best account now extant of the Orgies of Bacchus; those rites, even to the dress and manners of the Bacchæ, are so particularly described, that later and even cotemporary writers seem to have taken their accounts of them from hence; so that it would be an absurd affectation to burden the page with unnecessary notes. The first choral Ode is truly tragic in the original acceptation of the word, and not only remarkable for the elegance of its composition, but precious as a religious relic, all that remains to us of those songs in honour of Bacchus, from whence tragedy derived its origin and its name: the religious air, with which it is prefaced, gives it a solemnity, and in a manner hallows the whole drama. |