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compofition, which are requifite to attain thefe ends, have adopted 

 this contrivance, in order, to put the change on the courteous 

 reader, or to call out the exertions of the performer, to fupply their 

 deficiencies, and imagine or create what they cannot really find. 

 Thus, inftead of devifing an interefting feries and contexture of 

 incidents, or endeavouring to put into the mouths of their per- 

 fonages natural and pathetic fentiments, they turn all fentiment 

 and expreflion of paflion into mere defcription of the looks and 

 geftures, which the performers are to be fuppofed to afl\ime, and 

 convert the whole pathos and energy of the Drama into marginal 

 diredions, explanatory of what the writer meant to fay and im- 

 prefs if he had been able. Thus the Author flatters himfelf he 

 is writing a play, while, in reality, as I have faid, he is only in- 

 venting a pantomime, in the place of moving fcenes and burfls of 

 genuine paflion. A Writer of this ftamp tells the adtors and 

 a(3refl"es, in Italics, how they are to look, to move, and even to 

 drefs themfelves.* It is not furprifing that an expedient, which, 

 by transferring the- power and exertions of imagination to the 

 reader, is fo very flattering to the idlenefs or incapacity of authors, 

 fliould be generally adopted. Accordingly, we find it in fuch uni- 

 verfal ufe, that one half, at leaft, of every new play is taken up 



( E 2 ) with 



• In the table of perfons prefixed to' the Fiefco of Schiller the charadler of each 

 is. announced and his perfon and drefs fet down. — One is old and formal, another 

 young and handfome, a third gruff arid ill featured. One is dreffed in black, ano- 

 ther in fcarlet, nothing is left to -the ilifcretion of the aftors, the manager, or the 

 property man. 



