Sect. IX.] Drama. 5$ 



the honour of having adoped astmcture of poetry 

 which had never before been used in Italy. The 

 tragedies of Marchesi have also a high character 

 among the critics of that country. Those under 

 the titles of Crispo and PoUssena have particularly 

 attained general celebrity. The Merope of Maf- 

 fei is pronounced by some the best tragedy that , 

 was ever written. It is certain that few tragic 

 productions have been more famed, or have served 

 more frequently as models to subsequent writers*. 

 Granelli and Bettinelli have also a place among 

 the distinguished authors in this species of com- 

 position. The Sedecia, Manasse, and Dione, of 

 the former ; and the Glonata, Demetrio, and Ser'sCy 

 of the latter, are considered as their ablest prO' 

 ductions. Monti, of the same country, has ob- 

 tained considerable distinction by his Manfredi 

 and Aristodemo. To these names may be added 

 those of Ccesarotti and Alfieri, who have both pro- 

 duced tragedies of high reputation \ and that of 

 Metastasio, whose Operas and Sacred Dramas 

 have been long and advantageously known to the 

 public. He perfected the musical and serious 

 drama of Italy. Rejecting marvellous incidents, 

 and allegorical personages, his productions be- 

 came more conformable to nature and life than 

 those of his predecessors ; and the music of his 

 pieces was so introduced as to be performed by 

 real actors, strongly agitated with passion, anil 

 of course giving more elTect to their performance 

 than could be done in the chorus of Greek tra- 



* The Merope of MafFei is said to have been the model of 

 Voltaire's tragedy of that name. It is asserted, also, that the worly 

 of Maffei is the real parent of Home's Douglas. 



