ADVERTISEMENT.
THE following piece was found among the
papers of the gentleman, to whom we are
indebted for the foregoing Translation, and affords
the second specimen that hath yet appeared in any
European language of the talents of the Chinese
for dramatic composition: the Orphan of the
house of Chao, published by P. Du Halde being
the first.
Altho' the Chinese have no such distinction as
Tragedy and Comedy, yet as the following
specimen differs in many respects from that of P.
Du Halde, representing characters in lower life,
and being founded on incidents neither so tragical
nor important; the Editor at first was doubtful,
whether it might not be considered as a kind of
specimen of Chinese Comedy: but upon proposing
the question to a very ingenious and learned
Friend, he received the following sensible remarks,
which he here presents to the reader, as a Critique
on the piece.
"There is not much room to make observations
on the Chinese skeleton; as the fable is all
you have before you: which yet hath something
of unity in it, tho' it consists of too many members,
and tho' the action begins at a monstrous
distance from the catastrophe, and is
very inartificially conducted. The piece cannot
however be represented as a specimen of
Chinese
Comedy: for though the characters
want greatness, and the events importance,
yet these enter not into the essential characteristics
of the two dramas. The essence of Comedy,
is to paint characters and manners: that
of Tragedy, to excite terror and pity thro' the
medium of action. But there is really (as I
observed) something of unity attempted in the
action here, tho' the conduct of it is very rude
and perplexed. The want of greatness in the
persons and events, indicates a defect in the
composition, but does not alter the nature of
the poem. George Barnwell remains
still a Tragedy, tho' its characters are of the
very lowest kind, and the distress only of a private
family. But the Chinese
Author hath not
without some art contrived to interest us in
the distress of his principal personages. Our
compassion is equally excited, when we see
the Chinese
matron and her son in poverty,
and with disdain and reluctance obliged to depend
upon alms, as when we see the favorite
of kings in a dungeon. Our terror is afterwards
attempted in the several dangers and
rough distresses they have to encounter: and at
the same time that we were engaged to admire
their steady and constant virtue in struggling
thro' them, we are interested in all their fortunes;
till in the conclusion we are taught this
important moral, that virtue is able to force its
way thro' those dangers, difficulties and distresses
to which it may be exposed."
After all it may be questioned whether the
Chinese Author had in view either to paint characters
and manners, or to excite terror or pity,
as his immediate end. The piece seems rather to
resemble those peculiar productions of the Spanish
stage, whose sole design is to puzzle and amuse
the spectators, by the surprizing turns and
revolutions of an intricate plot.
[ILLUSTRATION]
