63 



after patient endurance as if the vietory were his own. In words 

 that recall the lines of the old poet, Shelley describes the benefits 

 Prometheus conferred on men : the hero of the tragedy had done 

 great things for men, whereof they rejoiced: he had been a 

 pioneer in discovery ; he had instructed mortals in the use of 

 fire and taught them the beginnings of science. So Shelley 

 depicts him in Act II, sec. 4, line 87 — 94. 



The points I have selected in these two plays of Shelley for 

 their resemblance to the Greek originals might be repeated if I 

 took a modern play I have now in my mind. There is a strong 

 resemblance between the genius of Shelley and that of Swin- 

 burne ; with vivid imagination and impetuosity of language they 

 combine the stateliness for a dialogue to be carried out on the 

 model of an Athenian dialogue, and the lyrical skill required for 

 reproducing the songs of the chorus, whose aid was so needful 

 on the Greek stage. The play I am thinking of is the Erectheus, 

 a story from olden times, treated by the poet much after the 

 fashion that an Athenian tragedian would have presented it to 

 the critical assemblage before whom he contended. It is not my 

 intention to do more than allude to this play. I have taken two 

 of the divisions, the two of chief importance in literature, the 

 first of which is handed to us in complete shape : it comes to 

 us, fully formed, as a temple or noble edifice, with outer walls 

 strong and enduring, and with inner decorations amply adorned : 

 he who would write an epic has to take Homer as his model ; he 

 who deviates from Homer deviates from the purity and accuracy 

 of true epic poetry ; the new architect must build the walls after 

 the fashion that his predecessor has taught him ; and the adorn- 

 ments and the grace with which he meditates embellishing his 

 work must not be out of accord with the decorations of the pro- 

 totype. In the drama there is more scope for originality : there 

 is an ancient drama, and we pride ourselves on a modern drama, 

 which is formed almost entu-ely independently of the ancient, 

 and which we venture to compare with that ancient one. 



The essay concluded with a few general observations on the 

 subject discussed. 



ITALY. 



By WILLIAM THOMPSON. October 5th, 1886. 



Mr. Thompson observed that he proposed to limit his remarks 

 to cities and scenery of some portion of Italy as we know it to- 

 day, to speak of her paintings and sculpture ; and to glance at 

 the ruins of Pompeii. Italy has within recent years made great 



