EXTRACTS FROM 



to aftronomers, with whom noon is the moft important 

 point of the day, may appear contemptible, and to the 

 northern ftranger inconvenient, is yet very well calcu- 

 lated for a nation who live conformably to nature, un- 

 der a happy temperature of climate, and would fix the 

 main epochs of its time in the moft determinate and 

 ftriking manner. 



IV. THE PARTS OP WOMEN PLAYED BY MEN AT 

 THE THEATRE OF ROME. 



THERE is no place in the world where the times 

 long pari:, fo forcibly and on fo many occafions addrefs 

 the obferver, as at Rome. There, among feveral 

 more cuftoms, they have alfo accidentally preferred 

 one, which in all other places, has been almoft totally 

 laid alide. 



The antients, at learl: in the beft times of art and 

 manners, permitted no woman to make her entrance 

 on the ftage. Their dramas were either fo compofed, 

 that women were more or lefs difpenfable : or the fe- 

 male characters were performed by an actor who had 

 particularly trained himfelf to them. This practice is 

 Hill preferved in modern Rome and the other territories 

 of the churcn ; except Bologna, which city, among 

 other privileges, enjoys that of allowing women to be 

 admired on the ftage. 



So much has been faid in blame of this roman cuf- 

 tom, that I may perhaps be permitted to fay fomewhat 

 in its praife ; at leaft (for fear of feeming too para- 

 doxical) if it be only to call the attention to a relic 

 of antiquity. 



Nothing 



