Sect. IX.] Drama. 4^ 



impression." The Mysterious Motlier of Horace 

 Walpole*, though the subject is shocking, dis- 

 plays great talents, especially in depicting the 

 terrible. Miss Hannah More's Percy is a popu- 

 lar tragic production f- Her Fatal Falsehood 

 also indicates those talents which appear in most 

 of her writings. Her Sacred Dramas, though a 

 monument of her piety, and her desire to promote 

 youthful improvement, will scarcely be thought 

 to deserve high praise as works of genius. To 

 these may be added the Zenobia^ the Grecian 

 Daughter, and the Alzuma, of Mr. Murphy, 

 which are considered as respectable in their dra- 

 matic character, and pure in their moral tenclenr 

 cy, but with a remarkable prevalence of terrour in 

 their impression. 



The close of the century was distinguished by 

 the dramatic publications of miss Joanna Baillie, 

 who is considered by many as having retrieved 

 the declining character of the age with respect to 

 tragic composition. A respectable critic has pro- 

 nounced, that, " for lofty poetry, sublime senti- 

 ment, and true pathos, her tragedies stand unque- 

 stionably at the head of every modern eifort of 

 the tragic muse." 



In the history of English Comedy, the eighteenth 

 ccntuiy forms an important era. Indeed, the £% 



* Horace Wulpole, the youngest son of sir Robert Walpole, 

 was bom in 1717. He succeeded to the title and estat* of the 

 eitii <f Orfordia. 1781, and died in 1797. 



f Percy is said to be a " bad alteration from Gahridle de Ver- 

 gy, by du Belloy> a c^flefbrated French tragedian." Notwith- 

 standing this <::iharge, however, it has maintained a high degree 

 of popularity. 



