letters to his son, 1752-第3节
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re naturally more serious and silent。
I could wish there were a treaty made between the French and English theatres； in which both parties should make considerable concessions。 The English ought to give up their notorious violations of all the unities； and all their massacres； racks； dead bodies； and mangled carcasses； which they so frequently exhibit upon their stage。 The French should engage to have more action and less declamation； and not to cram and crowd things together； to almost a degree of impossibility； from a too scrupulous adherence to the unities。 The English should restrain the licentiousness of their poets； and the French enlarge the liberty of theirs； their poets are the greatest slaves in their country； and that is a bold word； ours are the most tumultuous subjects in England； and that is saying a good deal。 Under such regulations one might hope to see a play in which one should not be lulled to sleep by the length of a monotonical declamation； nor frightened and shocked by the barbarity of the action。 The unity of time extended occasionally to three or four days； and the unity of place broke into； as far as the same street； or sometimes the same town； both which； I will affirm； are as probable as four…and…twenty hours； and the same room。
More indulgence too； in my mind； should be shown； than the French are willing to allow； to bright thoughts； and to shining images； for though； I confess； it is not very natural for a hero or a princess to say fine things in all the violence of grief； love； rage； etc。； yet； I can as well suppose that； as I can that they should talk to themselves for half an hour； which they must necessarily do； or no tragedy could be carried on； unless they had recourse to a much greater absurdity； the choruses of the ancients。 Tragedy is of a nature； that one must see it with a degree of self…deception； we must lend ourselves a little to the delusion； and I am very willing to carry that complaisance a little farther than the French do。
Tragedy must be something bigger than life； or it would not affect us。 In nature the most violent passions are silent； in tragedy they must speak； and speak with dignity too。 Hence the necessity of their being written in verse； and unfortunately for the French； from the weakness of their language； in rhymes。 And for the same reason； Cato the Stoic； expiring at Utica； rhymes masculine and feminine at Paris； and fetches his last breath at London； in most harmmonious and correct blank verse。
It is quite otherwise with Comedy； which should be mere common life； and not one jot bigger。 Every character should speak upon the stage； not only what it would utter in the situation there represented； but in the same manner in which it would express it。 For which reason I cannot allow rhymes in comedy； unless they were put into the mouth； and came out of the mouth of a mad poet。 But it is impossible to deceive one's self enough （nor is it the least necessary in comedy） to suppose a dull rogue of an usurer cheating； or 'gross Jean' blundering in the finest rhymes in the world。
As for Operas； they are essentially too absurd and extravagant to mention； I look upon them as a magic scene； contrived to please the eyes and the ears； at the expense of the understanding； and I consider singing； rhyming； and chiming heroes； and princesses； and philosophers； as I do the hills； the trees； the birds； and the beasts； who amicably joined in one common country dance； to the irresistible turn of Orpheus's lyre。 Whenever I go to an opera； I leave my sense and reason at the door with my half guinea； and deliver myself up to my eyes and my ears。
Thus I have made you my poetical confession； in which I have acknowledged as many sins against the established taste in both countries； as a frank heretic could have owned against the established church in either； but I am now privileged by my age to taste and think for myself； and not to care what other people think of me in those respects； an advantage which youth； among its many advantages； hath not。 It must occasionally and outwardly conform； to a certain degree； to establish tastes； fashions； and decisions。 A young man may； with a becoming modesty； dissent； in private companies； from public opinions and prejudices： but he must not attack them with warmth； nor magisterially set up his own sentiments against them。 Endeavor to hear； and know all opinions； receive them with complaisance； form your own with coolness； and give it with modesty。
I have received a letter from Sir John Lambert； in which he requests me to use my interest to procure him the remittance of Mr。 Spencer's money； when he goes abroad and also desires to know to whose account he is to place the postage of my letters。 I do not trouble him with a letter in answer； since you can execute the commission。 Pray make my compliments to him； and assure him that I will do all I can to procure him Mr。 Spencer's business； but that his most effectual way will be by Messrs。 Hoare； who are Mr。 Spencer's cashiers； and who will undoubtedly have their choice upon whom they will give him his credit。 As for the postage of the letters； your purse and mine being pretty near the same； do you pay it； over and above your next draught。
Your relations； the Princes B…； will soon be with you at Paris； for they leave London this week： whenever you converse with them； I desire it may be in Italian； that language not being yet familiar enough to you。
By our printed papers； there seems to be a sort of compromise between the King and the parliament； with regard to the affairs of the hospitals； by taking them out of the hands of the Archbishop of Paris； and placing them in Monsieur d'Argenson's： if this be true； that compromise； as it is called； is clearly a victory on the side of the court； and a defeat on the part of the parliament； for if the parliament had a right； they had it as much to the exclusion of Monsieur d'Argenson as of the Archbishop。 Adieu。
LETTER CLVIII
LONDON； February 6； O。 S。 1752。
MY DEAR FRIEND： Your criticism of Varon is strictly just； but； in truth； severe。 You French critics seek for a fault as eagerly as I do for a beauty： you consider things in the worst light； to show your skill； at the expense of your pleasure； I view them in the best； that I may have more pleasure； though at the expense of my judgment。 A 'trompeur trompeur et demi' is prettily said； and； if you please； you may call 'Varon； un Normand'； and 'Sostrate； un Manceau； qui vaut un Normand et demi'； and； considering the 'denouement' in the light of trick upon trick； it would undoubtedly be below the dignity of the buskin； and fitter for the sock。
But let us see if we cannot bring off the author。 The great question upon which all turns； is to discover and ascertain who Cleonice really is。 There are doubts concerning her 'etat'； how shall they be cleared？ Had the truth been extorted from Varon （who alone knew） by the rack； it would have been a true tragical 'denouement'。 But that would probably not have done with Varon； who is represented as a bold； determined； wicked； and at that time desperate fellow； for he was in the hands of an enemy who he knew could not forgive him； with common prudence or safety。 The rack would； therefore； have extorted no truth from him； but he would have died enjoying the doubts of his enemies； and the confusion that must necessarily attend those doubts。 A stratagem is therefore thought of to discover what force and terror could not； and the stratagem such as no king or minister would disdain； to get at an important discovery。 If you call that stratagem a TRICK； you vilify it； and make it comical； but call that trick a STRATAGEM； or a MEASURE； and you dignify it up to tragedy： so frequently do ridicule or dignity turn upon one single word。 It is commonly said； and more particularly by Lord Shaftesbury； that ridicule is the best test of truth； for that it will not stick where it is not just。 I deny it。 A truth learned in a certain light； and attacked in certain words； by men of wit and humor； may； and often doth； become ridiculous； at least so far that the truth is only remembered and repeated for the sake of the ridicule。 The overturn of Mary of Medicis into a river； where she was half…drowned； would never have been remembered if Madame de Vernuel； who saw it； had not said 'la Reine boit'。 Pleasure or malignity often gives ridicule a weight which it does not deserve。 The versification； I must confess； is too much neglected and too often bad： but； upon the whole； I read the play with pleasure。
If there is but a great deal of wit and character in your new comedy； I will readily compound for its having little or no plot。 I chiefly mind dialogue and character in comedies。 Let dull critics feed upon the carcasses of plays； give me the taste and the dressing。
I am very glad you went to Versailles to see the ceremony of creating the Prince de Conde 'Chevalier de l' Ordre'； and I do not doubt but that upon this occasion you informed yourself thoroughly of the institution and rules of that order。 If you did； you were certainly told it was instituted by Henry III。 immediately after his return； or rather his flight from Poland； he took the hint
