DRA 



DRA 



gi, Jussicu. Essential character : corolla 

 six-parted, erect; filaments somewhat 

 thicker in the middle ; berry three-celled, 

 one seeded. There are fourteen species, 

 mostly natives of the East Indies and Co- 

 chin China. 



DKACONTIUM, in botany, a genus of 

 the Gynandria Polyandria class and or- 

 der. Natural order of Piperitx. Aroi- 

 dez. Jussicu. Essential character : spathe 

 boat-form spadix covered ; calyx none ; 

 petals five; berries many-seeded. There 

 are five species, of which D. polyphillum 

 lias a large, knobbed, irregular root, co- 

 vered with a nigged brown skin. The 

 stalk rises about a foot in height, it is 

 smooth, and of a purple colour, full of 

 sharp protuberance* of various shades, 

 shining like the skin of a serpent; it is 

 naked to the top, where it has a tuft of 

 leaves, divided into many parts. The 

 flower-stalk rises immediately from the 

 root, and is seldom more thn three in- 

 ches high Jiaving'an ohlong swelling hood 

 at top, ^luch opens lengthwise, showing 

 the short, thick pointed style within, 

 upon which the flowers are closely rang- 

 ed. This plant grows naturally in several 

 islands of America. 

 . DRAliON See DRACO. 



DBAGOV'S blood. 



DRAINING*. S 



See PUARMACT. 



p AGHICtLTI-HE. 



DRAMA, a poem, in which the action 

 is represented. 



To the Greeks we owe the invention of 

 both forms of dramatic composition, tra- 

 gedy and comedy. These exhibitions were 

 extremely simple. The action, was con- 

 tinued from beginning to end without 

 pauses or intervals ; there was no change 

 of scene: and the attention of the specta- 

 tors was continually occupied cither by 

 the actors or the chorus. It was neces- 

 sary, therefore, in order to give probabili- 

 ty to the fiction, that the rule of the three 

 unities should be strictly observed The 

 poem WHS confined, and the saine action, 

 out of which arose the incidents requisite 

 to support it to its conclusion, and all 

 tending to one great point. No episodes 

 were admissible, but such as were so con- 

 nected with the main story, as not to be 

 suppressed or transposed without alter- 

 ing or destroying the plot. The unity of 

 place, on a stage which admitted of no 

 change of scene, must, of course, be ri- 

 gorously attended to, and the fable so 

 constructed as to draw all the characters 

 to the same spot. This, notwithstanding 

 the inconveniences which arose from it, 

 was an indispensable rule, as any viola- 



VOL. IV 



tion of it would completely destroy the il- 

 lusion. The time, strictly speaking, was 

 that of the representation. It might com- 

 prehend twenty-four hours, but by no 

 means could it extend beyond that time. 

 The precept of Aristotle even goes to de- 

 scribe the length of the poem ; it could 

 not exceed thirteen or fourteen hundred 

 verses. 



A drama composed on these principles 

 could afford but little variety of incident 

 and character ; K must depend for its 

 success on the poetical talent of its au- 

 thor, and.on the interest he could there- 

 by excite in the breasts of lus audience 

 for the characters he introduced. 



The modem stage gives wider scope 

 to the imagination, and renders the strict 

 observance of the unities less necessary. 

 The introduction of pauses by the division 

 of acts justifies a change of scene, and 

 also allows a longer extension of time, 

 without any violation ofprobability. Thus, 

 a greater range of subjects for dramatic 

 representation is provided, while at the 

 same time as the obstructions of art are 

 removed, the mirror, if we may so ex- 

 press it, becomes more true to nature. 

 The poet may so construct his drama, as 

 to lead the imagination of his audience 

 along with him, and thus may pass in 

 reA'iew the striking events of history ; 

 while, by the aid of scenic illusion, the 

 transition from place to place becomes 

 as consistent with probability as the 

 transition from one period of time to ano- 

 ther. 



Vet thej-e are wb.6 insist on the ap- 

 plication of the Grecian rules to the mo- 

 dern drama. The French, in particular, 

 observe them strictly. Their be^t pieces 

 are composed on the ancient model ; the 

 scene never changed, and the action con- 

 tinued and ended on the same spot where 

 it is supposed to begin. The time, like- 

 wise, seldom exceeds that prescribed by 

 the Greek critic, and is often confined to 

 that of the representation. Hence the na- 

 tional taste is so decidedly formed, that 

 the best production of the English school 

 would only afford them matter of ridi- 

 cule, for its obvious violation of the long- 

 established laws of criticism. 



The unity of action is certainly essen- 

 tial to that probability which supports 

 the theatrical illusion. Yet even tike ob- 

 servance of this rule is not incompatible 

 with variation of scene, and extension of 

 time, though it requires a masterly ge 

 nius to manage them judiciously In tli'^ 

 works of our immortal Shakspcare we 

 often see this talent exemplified. We be- 



Be 



