of one very important fact, however, that of Helen's having been at Troy, during the time of the siege, considerable doubts have been started, and on high historical authority

and this circumstance seems to justify a reference to the authority of Homer as a precedent in that mode of practice which Poetick Licence confers to the artist, and from which he derives a power of choosing what is most suitable to his purpose in facts of a doubtful or contested authority.

And hence it happens, that among facts which are thus imperfectly reported, or obscurely contemplated, the poet may insert many incidents, and even episodes, which are important, not less on account of the elevation than the extensiveness of their subject. For having imagined them with suitable attention to verisimilitude, he can have little to fear for their sufficiency to convey that pleasure which is the sole end of poetical composition. It is knowledge alone that can interpose her authority to remind us that such pleasure has but an imaginary reality : but knowledge has now no real objects to impress upon our senses, so as to dissipate

• HERODOT. lib. i. p. 8.

the delusion; her feeble monitions therefore escape the attention, which is already engrossed by fascinating, though visionary probabilities. The licences of this kind, which might be exemplified from any epick poem, are those which place the most marked distinction between the respective provinces of epical and historical poetry; and so extensive a range do they open to the former, that they appear to place it under scarcely any historical restriction, but that of deriving from fact the main action of the subject, the actual scene of its transaction, and the principal characters by whom it is conducted.

CHA P. IV.

OF THE DRAMA.

ALTHOUGH among poetical productions of the highest order, the compositions of the drama, occupy but a second rank in point of execution, they claim decidedly the first place in point of effect: the emotions which works of this kind produce by means of theatrical representation being more powerful than those which can be excited by the dead letter of written composition. On the real temporary existence which is conferred on the ideal creations of the poet, by employing living characters to deliver his sentiments, and a visible scene to sustain his action, I wish particularly to fix the attention of the reader, as one of the chief circumstances which characterize the peculiar licences of the drama, as opposed to those of the epopee. By such powerful auxiliaries to narration as dramatick gesture and visible representation, more spirit and animation are added to the effect of the piece, under cover of which the poet is enabled to take many

liberties with the truth of the incidents on which his subject is founded.

For though it may rather appear that poetry, in descending from her ideal state, and submitting herself to the test of the senses, may thus expose to observation those deviations from science which constitute all licences, yet this is far from being the case. On the contrary, with respect to those rules which are to regulate the dramatick poet in detailing his incidents, they may be generally pronounced to stand exempt from those limitations which circumscribe his practice who engages in epical compositions.

This will fully appear on prosecuting our inquiries into the licences which may be taken, in the productions of the theatre, with history, the science still under consideration. And it will be more conducive to this end, to distribute the subject of discussion in the same manner as was adopted in considering the licences of epick poetry. The following are consequently the points which offer themselves for inquiry.

I. May the poet derive his subject wholly from invention; or should he take it from history?

II. In founding a drama on historical

facts, how far is he licenced in deserting historical authority; 1. where the facts happen to be of remote; and, 2. where they are of recent occurrence?

These questions appear to comprise every difficulty which requires a solution in the different modes of composition which have been contradistinguished as historical and poetical; all consideration of the romantick species of composition in the drama being reserved for that particular section of this inquiry, which is appropriated to what is marvellous in poetry.

I. On the first of these questions how far the poet is liberated from the necessity of taking the subject of his poem from history, very different sentiments have been entertained. P. Brumoy maintains the negative of this question, and is opposed by M. de Voltaire; the same point, if I remember rightly, has been contested by Dr. Blair and Dr. Warton. In this state of a question which seems supported by pretty equal authority, some countenance is not wanting for him who places himself on either side. Influenced, however, by the desire of seeing Poetical Licence freed from every possible restraint, I feel little hesitation in arranging

H