[ 75 ] 



An HISTORICAL ESSAY on the IRISH STAGE. 

 By JOSEPH C. WALKER, Efq-, Member of the Royal 

 Irijh Academy ; Fellow of the Literary and Antiquarian Society of 

 ^ Perth, and honorary Member of the Etrtifcan Academy (f 

 Cortona._ 



In tracing the progrefs of fociety we difcover the Drama ReadMauij 

 amongft the firft amufements of man. Soon as communities ^' '^'^* 

 were formed, it appeared as well in the bleak regions of the 

 North, as in thofe coantries which feel the genial influence of 

 the fun. Even Hiftory, when Ihe firft ventured to raife her voice, 

 invoked the aid of the Dramatic mufe. It is therefore very ex- 

 traordinary that we cannot difcover any veftiges of the Drama 

 amongft the remains of. the Irifh Bards, or amongft the 

 amufements of the vulgar Irifh of this day*, though a peo- 

 ple 



• It muft, however, be obferved that the vulgar Iriih of the prefent day exhibit, m 

 many parts of the kingdom, feveral avi^kward attempts at Comedy at their vfeddings 



and 



