[ .. ] 



French government, fince the revolution, has fhown an equal 

 care of the theatre. The ftage is one among various ave- 

 nues to the public mind; and on the fame principles on which 

 the Stage Is interdided from meddling with modern politics, the 

 Prefs, in general, might be prohibited from entertaining fuch 

 topics ; fince their difcuflion may tend to intereft the paffions 

 on the fide of the popular judgment on any paffing event. The 

 ■genius of a free government requires, that every mode and form 

 of addrefling the public feelings, and enlightening the public 

 mind, fhould not only be permitted, but encouraged ; provided 

 they confine themfelves within the bounds of decorum and mo- 

 deration. Indeed where an arbitrary defpot'ifm prevails, where the 

 government is every thing, the people nothing, there popular 

 opinion has no weight or place, and popular feeling muft be 

 extinguifhed. In fuch a flate of fociety, the ftage muft indeed 

 forbear to glance at the politics of the day, and content itfelf 

 with being a mere inftrument of amufement. 



What I have hitherto fciid applies peculiarly to Traged}', but 

 the fame reafoning will hold good with regard to the choice of 

 modern incidents and charaders from real life, as fubjeds of 

 difplay for the comic Mufe. Tradition informs us, that fuch has 

 been the pradice of the beft writers for the comic ftage ; and 

 it is obvious, that the pleafure refulting from the drama will be 

 heightened by our knowledge of the perfonages defignated, and 

 the confcioufnefs that the portraits which it exhibits are not 



only 



