University of Virginia Library

'Tis true, the Antients have kept the continuity of scenes somewhat better than the Moderns. Two do not perpetually come in together, talk, and go out together; and other two succeed them, and do the same throughout the act, which the English call by the name of single scenes; but the reason is, because they have seldom above two or three scenes, properly so called, in every act; for it is to be accounted a new scene, not only every time the stage is empty, but every person who enters, though to others, makes it so; because he introduces a new business. Now the plots of their plays being narrow, and the persons few, one of their acts was written in a less compass than one of our well-wrought scenes; and yet they are often deficient even in this. To go no farther than Terence, you find, in the Eunuch, Anpho entering single in the midst of the third Act, after Chremes and Pythias were gone off: In the same play you have likewise Dorias beginning the fourth act alone; and after she has made a relation of what was done at the Soldier's entertainment, (which by the way was very inartificial, because she was presumed to speak directly to the audience; and to acquaint them with what was necessary to be known, but yet should have been so contrived by the Poet, as to have been told by persons of the Drama to one another, and so by them to have come to the knowledge of the people she quits the stage, and Phædria enters next, alone likewise: He also gives you an account of himself, and of his returning from the country in monologue, to which unnatural way narration Terence is subject in all his plays. In his Adelphi, or Brothers, Syrus and Demea enter, after the scene is broken by the departure of Sostrata, Geta, and Canthara; and indeed you can scarce look into any of his comedies, where you will not presently discover the same interruption. Dryden's Essay of Dramatick Poesie.

Because courtezans were not allowed to wear gold or jewels in the street. Dacier.

Here the Poet artfully finds a reason to bring Phædria back again; as he at first with equal art sent him out of the way, to give probability to those incidents, necessary to happen in his absence. Donatus.

Extremâ lineâ amare, haud nihil est. Supposed to be a metaphor taken from the lines drawn in the chariot-races.

Menander's words, as preserved by Donatus, are these, αυτος εστι Γαλεωτης γερων, which he charges Terence with having misunderstood. Γαλη, he says is a Weazle, and Γαλεωτης a Lizard. But Terence is very likely to have made Pythias express her dislike of the Eunuch, by comparing him to a Weazle, whose skin has much of the tawny in it. As to the passage from Menander, there is nothing of the colour of the animal expressed in it. A Lizard being a thin animal, Menander probably intended a similitude in the Jankness. Γαλεωτης γερων may therefore be construed a thin, half-starv'd fellow. Cooke.

The revenge of Pythias on Parmeno is very artfully made productive of the catastrophe. Donatus.

Sine Cerere & Libero friget Venus. A proverb, signifying that love is cold without good eating and drinking.

Beaumont and Fletcher seem to have had their thoughts on this scene in their draught of the Mob-Regiment in Philaster. The old Captain disembodies his Militia much in the same manner with Gnatho.—“Fall off again my sweet Youths; come, and every man trace to his house again, and hang his pewter up.”