128 M.de Polier on the Pleajures of the Mind 
away too far by this principle, that there is a 
pleafure inherent in whatever enables the mind 
to get a clear and diftincl perception of the object 
prefented to it, the French critics defended, and 
the French dramatic poets wrote after thefe rules. 
In England , the amazing genius of Shakefpeare , 
probably unacquainted with Ariftotle and his 
precepts, having early, and in general happily, 
foared above all reftraints, gave, perhaps, a bias 
to the tafte of the nation ; or a fanftion, at lead, 
to future dramatic authors, for not attending 
fcrupuloully to the drift unities. Thefe, how¬ 
ever, were alfo defended by the Englifh critics, 
and, in theory, admitted by the bed poets: but 
the praftice did not correfpond ; and there is not 
at prefent a theatre in Europe , in which thefe rules 
are lei's obferved. 
I do not mean this, as an abfolute reproach. 
Convinced, as I am, that the pleafures of the heart 
are much fuperior to thofe of the mind, I think, 
that rules invented to give eafe and pleafure to 
the latter, may often be facrificed to a multitude 
of intereding events and fituations, that raife 
ftrong emotions in the former, and fir ike it 
forcibly. But at the fame time, illufion being 
the charm of theatrical reprefentations, care 
ought to be taken not to deilroy it, nor diminifh 
the concern and fympathy of the fpedlators, by 
too great a deviation from probability. If, on 
the flage, an old man were to play the part of 
a young 
