The want o f fcenery is fometimes fupplied by a ve ry unclaf-
fical figure, which, juft the reverfe o f the prbjopopoeia or perfo-
nification o f grammarians, confiders perfons to reprefent things.
If, for inftance, a walled city is to be ftormed, a parcel o f fol-
diers, piling themfelves on a heap acrofs the ftage, are fuppofed
to reprefent the wall over which the ftorming party is to
fcramble. This puts one in mind o f the ihifts o f Nick bottom.
“ Some man or other muft prefent wall,” and, “ let
“ him have fome plaifter, or fome lome, or fome rough- call
“ about him to fignify wall.”
The audience is never left in doubt as'to the character which
is produced before it. Like the ancient Greek drama and, in
imitation thereof, all our old plays, the dramatis perfona introduce
themfelves in appropriate fpeeches to the acquaintance
o f the fpedators.
As to the time o f adion, a fingle drama will fometimes include
the tranfadions o f a whole century, or-even o f a dynafty
more than twice the length o f that period ; which, among other
abfurdities, gave Voltaire occafion to compare what he thought
to be a literal tranflation o f the Orphan o f the Houfe o f Tcbao,
“ to thofe monftrous farces o f Shakefpear, which have been
“ called tragedies; farces, however, which will continue to
be read by thofe who underftand them, which be did not, with
heartfelt emotion and delight, when his Orphan o f China ihall
have funk into the negled even o f his own admiring countrymen.
In
In this miferable compofition o f Father Prémare, for it can
fcarcely be called a tranflation, there is neither didion, nor
fentiment, nor cha rade r; it is a mere tiflue o f unnatural, or
at leaft very improbable events, fit only for the amufement o f
children, and not capable o f raifing one fingle paffion, but
that o f contempt for the tafte o f thofe who could exprefs an
admiration o f fuch a compofition. The denouement o f the
piece is materially aflifted by means o f a d o g : but this part o f
the ftory is told, and not exhibited ; the Chinefe tafte not being
quite fo depraved, in this inftance, as to admit the performance
o f a four-footed animal on the ftage.
This drama with ninety-nine others, publiihed together in
one work, are confidered as the claffical ftock-pieces o f the
Chinefe ftage ; but like ourfelves, they complain that a depraved
tafte prevails for modern produdions very inferior to thofe o f
ancient date. It is certainly true, that every fort o f ribaldry
and obfeenity are encouraged on the Chinefe ftage at the prefent
day. A fet o f players o f a fuperior kind travel occafionally
from Nankin to Canton ; at the latter o f which cities, it feems,
they meet with confiderable encouragement from the Hong
merchants, and other wealthy inhabitants. A t thefe exhibitions
the Engliih are fometimes prefent. The fubjed and the con-
d u d o f one o f their ftock pieces, which being a great favourite
is frequently repeated, are fo remarkable, that I cannot forbear
taking fome notice o f it. A woman being tempted to murder
her huiband performs the a d whilft he is afleep, by ftriking a
fmall hatchet into his forehead. He appears on the ftage with
a large galh juft above the eyes, out o f which iffues a prodigious
effufion