760 
POE 
a mental cultivation may in fome meafure purify it; but 
dill there is no ideal fenfe of beauty exprefled. The 
higher philofophers, we grant, feem occafionally to have 
fancied this feeling in their high-fpirited lucubrations; 
but neither the dramatic writers nor their audiences had 
acquired any notion of refined love. We need not point 
out how the obferver of this pure ideal feeling reftrained 
the finer emotions of the foul. Not only was affedtion for 
the immaculate purity in a midrefsdedroyed, but all notion 
of high connubial eiteem and refpedl vaniftied. The love 
of the fon for his mother cannot live if the intelledlual 
grandeur of that mother be defpifed, (as a mere fenfual 
objedl mull be;) neither can the mother return to her fon 
the proud affedlion founded equally on his perfon and his 
character, if file feels herfelf confidered by him in this mean 
light: nor again can the brother’s affedlion for the filler 
acquire its highed cultivation, nor can the love of the filler 
return in due force. How many fources of affection and 
beauty then does the want of true love deprive us of? 
and how well does the abfence of this primum mobile 
account for deficiency of the Greek Drama ? 
JEJchylus has been ufually regarded as the father of tra¬ 
gedy, inafmuch as he fird gave her that gorgeous and 
dately array which is her due. With an improved and 
accompliflied chorus, and a fyllem of declamation which 
he condefcended to teach in perfon, the drama received 
from this author improvements fecond only to the lofty 
thoughts with which he informed her foul. The chief 
excellence of zEfchylus as a poet confills in his fublimity. 
Fear, furprife, and indignation, were the pafiions he had 
perfedlly at control. The power of the infinite and ab- 
folute Delliny, who throughout the whole of the Grecian 
mythology rules, with unquellionable and unchangeable 
fway, gods and men, an idea which in its various develop¬ 
ments runs through all the ancient poetry, (as we before 
obferved,) was byAifchylus difplayedin its higheft energy. 
His fupernatural beings are the offspring of a ftrong crea¬ 
tive fancy ; and their language, though occafionally ob- 
fcure, is graceful and majeftic. He fketches characters 
boldly and didindtly. On the other hand, iEfchylus 
ftumbled much in the management of his plots ; they were 
tedioufly and obfcurely developed. The tender pafiions he 
never could pourtray ; and by introducing long philofo- 
phical reflexions, which, though often beautiful, were mif- 
piaced, he fatigued his audience. Though he improved the 
chorus by dancing and fong, and curbed it with drifter 
rules,yet we fometimes find him fo far forgetting its charac¬ 
ter as to introduce it into the aftion of the play, an office 
which was quite foreign toils proper ufe; for the chorus 
is a mere fupplemental part of the play, whofe bufinefs 
is to affid the dory by telling its obfcure parts, and to fix 
the attention of the audience by fuitable reflections and 
obfervations on the moral of the piece; and ladly, to fill 
up the vacancies between more arduous performances. 
Out of the 70 pieces ^Tfchylus is faid to have written, 
feven only remain. The fird difplays, in its utmod force, 
the necelfity of fubmiflion to Dediny, and a picture of the 
powers of the human foul, invincible by Jupiter himfelf, 
and amenable only to the fird myderious power. It is 
named the “ Prometheus Chained,” from the circumdance 
with which it opens, that Jupiter condemns the ravifher 
of the celedial lpark to be chained to a wild and defolate 
rock, frowning over the fea ; expofed to a ravening eagle, 
or, as other authorities equally authentic date, a vulture, 
by which his liver, daily growing, was dedined to be daily 
confumed. In thefe circumdances, he refufes with fcorn 
to make the fubmiflion required of him; prefcient that 
Fate, to which Jupiter himfelf was fubjeCl, ordained his 
deliverance; which was at length, according to the eter¬ 
nal and immutable decree, equally binding upon gods 
and men, effeCled by the hand of Hercules. 
The fecond tragedy is Ayled “ The Supplicants.” 
Thefe Supplicants were the fifty daughters of Danaus, 
who fought refuge on the coad of Argos, were Pelafgus 
then reigned, from the perfecution of their uncle Egyptus, 
try: 
whofe wicked purpofe it was to marry them to his fifty 
fons. This tragedy is not without its beauties; and the 
charaCler of Pelafgus is that of a monarch, jud, wife, and 
beneficent; but, compared with the former, the Suppli¬ 
cants is a feeble drama, and the fubjeCl too nearly ap¬ 
proaches to burlefque. 
3. “The Seven Chiefs againd Thebes.” This is a 
dately and dignified performance; and the dory, fo cele¬ 
brated in antiquity, had its origin doubtlefs in traditionary 
faCls. Such were the high ideas entertained of the virtue 
of patriotifm, that Eteocles, though the original aggreffor, 
was venerated as the defender of Thebes ; and Polynices, 
the injured party, who brought a foreign army againd 
the city which gave him birth, w'as held accurfed ; and, 
after the death of the two brothers, it was decreed by the 
rulers of the Theban date, that the former ftiould be in¬ 
terred with honour, and the corpfe of Polynices “ Call¬ 
out unburied, to the dogs a prey.” In this play, there is 
much more of defcription than of aCtion. It is remark¬ 
able, that Jocad3, equally wretched as queen, as mother, 
and as wife, is not introduced, named, or even alluded to, 
in it. The molt animated fcene is that in which the 
Seven Chiefs, their perfons, characters, and devices on 
their fhields, are fuccefiively delineated. But, being all 
defcription, it foon becomes tedious. We are at length 
informed that 
The city is preferved, the brother kings 
Are fallen, each daughter’d by the other’s hand. 
This is followed, and the play concluded, by a fcene, in 
which a herald appears, and denounces the curfes of the 
Theban date againd Polynices. 
4. “ Agamemnon.” This is a noble tragedy; the chef- 
d'ceuvre of ^Efchylus: the fubjeCl is grand, and the exe¬ 
cution in all refpeCts equal to it. The play opens with 
the long-expeCted appearance of that joyful fignal, which 
had been previoufly fixed upon to denote the fall ol 
Troy ; 
The fire, that from the top of Ida fent 
It’s dreaming light, blazed jocund to the deep 
Of Lemnos : Athos’ facred head received 
The mighty fplendour. It mounts the fummit 
Of Arachne, which with towering pride looks down 
On Argos. 
After an interval of gratulation and triumph, Agamem¬ 
non appears in perfon, and the fpeech by which he an¬ 
nounces himfelf, is worthy of the great and magnanimous 
leader of the Grecian hod, the “ King of kings, belov’d 
of Jove.” 
To Argos fird, and to my country gods, 
I bow with reverence, by whofe holy guidance, 
On Troy’s proud walls I poured their righteous vengeance, 
And now revifit fafe my native foil, &c. 
Clytemnedra,the remorfelefs and abandoned Clytemnedra, 
receives her lord with all the fafeinating arts and wiles of 
female perfidy : 
At thy return, 
The gufhing fountains of my tears are dried ; 
Welcome as land, which the tofled mariner 
Beyond his hope deferies. Welcome as day, 
After a night of dorms, with fairer beams 
Returning; welcome as the liquid lapfe 
Of fountain to the thirdy traveller. 
Agamemnon is accompanied by Caflandra, daughter of 
Priam, the royal prophetefs, whofe fate it was ever to 
predidl the truth, and never to be believed. This high¬ 
born virgin he recommends to the care of Clytemnedra, 
who affedls to receive the illudrious captive with every 
mark of kindnefs. Agamemnon and Clytemnedra having 
withdrawn themfelves, Caflandra, who had hitherto re¬ 
mained filent, wholly unmoved by the foft words of Cly¬ 
temnedra, being left alone with the chorus, is fuddenly 
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