DRA 



DRA 



gi, Jussieu. 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. 



DRACONTIUM, in botany, a genus of 

 the Gynandria Polyandria class and or- 

 der. Natural order of Piperitx. Aroi- 

 dex, Jussieu. Essential character : spathe 

 boat-form ; spadix covered; calyx none ; 

 petals five ; berries many-seeded. There 

 are five species, of which D. polyphillum 

 has a large, knobbed, irregular root, co- 

 vered with a rugged brown skin. The 

 stalk rises about a foot 1 in height, it is 

 smooth, and of a purple colour, full of 

 sharp protuberances 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 than three 

 inches high, having an oblong swell- 

 ing hood at top, which opens length- 

 wise, showing the short, thick pointed 

 style within, upon which the flowers are 

 closely ranged. This plant grows natu- 

 rally in several islands of America. 



DRAGON. See DRACO. 



DRAGON'S blood. See PHARMACY. 



DRAINING. See AGRICULTURE. 



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 either by 

 the actors or the chorus. It was neces- 

 sary, therefore, in order to give probabi- 

 lity to the fiction, that the rule of the 

 three unities should be strictly observed. 

 The poem was confined, and the same ac- 

 tion, out of which arose the incidents re- 

 quisite to support it to its conclusion, and 

 all tending to one great point. , No epi- 

 sodes were admissible, but such as were 

 so connected with the main story, as not 

 to be suppressed or transposed without 

 altering or destroying the plot. The unity 

 of place, on a stage which admitted of 

 no change of scene, must, of course, be 

 rigorously 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- 



tion of it would completely destroy the 

 illusion. 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; it 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 his audience 

 for the characters he introduced. 



The modern 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 of probability. 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 re- 

 view 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 another. 



Yet there are, who insist on the appli- 

 cation of the Grecian rules to the modern 

 drama. The French, in particular, ob- 

 serve them strictly. Their best pieces 

 are composed on the ancient model ; the 

 scene never changes, and the action con- 

 tinues and ends 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. H-nce 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 the 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 the 

 works of ou.r immortal Shakspeare we 

 often see this talent exemplified. We be- 



