THE DRAMA. 



Disappearance of the Ancient Theatre. First Essays of the Christian Theatre. Pious Repre- 

 sentations in the Churches. The Latin Drama of Hiosvitha. The Mystery of Adam. The 

 Great Mysteries. Progress of tlie Theatre in Europe. Brothers of the Passion in Paris. 

 Public Representations. The Mysteiy of St. Louie. Comedy since the Thirteenth Century. 

 Jean de la Halle. The Farce de Pathelin. The Bazoche. The Fnfants sans Souci. The 

 Theatre in Spain and in Italy. Creation of the Literary Theatre, in the Sixteenth Century, 

 in Fiance. 



CTING on the example of M. Charles 

 Louuudre, who has written a very useful 

 treatise upon the origin of the dramatic art, 

 we will divide the history of the Theatre 

 into four distinct periods. As he says, 

 during the first period that is to say, from 

 the dawn of Christianity to the seventh cen- 

 tury the Greco-Roman traditions reigned 

 supreme. During the second period, from 

 the seventh to the twelfth century, the pro- 

 fane element gave way to Christian inspiration ; the theatre, in the 

 modern acceptation of the term, disappeared altogether, and, absorbed 

 in the ceremonial of public worship, preserved nothing but the Latin 

 language as a souvenir of Rome. In the twelfth, and still more during 

 the next two centuries, the sanctuary ceased to have a monopoly of 

 scenic representations ; the priests and the monks were gradually 

 driven from the stage by professional actors, and though Christian 

 thought was still the dominating feature in the great dramatic composi- 

 tions of the time, some of them bore traces of the spirit of raillery which 

 afterwards prevailed. And in the sixteenth century dramatic art under- 

 went its definite transformation, and, by an alliance of Greco-Roman tradi- 

 tions and Christian inspiration, it became at once chivalrous, religious, 

 satirical, national, and classic. 



