Of Love-Intrigues in Tragedy. In a letter to father Porée.* I fend you, my reverend father, the edition that has been lately published of the tragedy of Oedipus +. I have endeavoured to throw out, as much as poffible, the filly expreffions of a mif-placed intrigue, which I had been obliged to introduce, among the bold and manly ftrokes that the fubject required. You must know, in my juftification, that young as I was, when I wrote Oedipus, I compofed it pretty much in the fame manner, in which it will now appear to you. My head was full of the antients, and of your inftructions; I knew but little of the theatre of Paris, but was better acquainted with that of Athens. I confulted Mr. Dacier ‡, who * Prefixed to the tragedy of Oedipus. The author wrote this play when he was but nineteen. It was acted in the year 1718, and ran forty-five nights fucceffively. A famous French critic, particularly fond of, and well acquainted with, the Grecian language and writings. He tranflated Hippocrates and other books from the Greek into the French. C advised me to introduce a chorus in every scene after the manner of the Greeks, which was ad- · vifing me to walk in the streets of Paris in Plato's robes. It was with difficulty that I could prevail upon the actors of Paris to admit a chorus three or four times only, during the whole play. It was ftill more difficult to make them accept a tragedy almost entirely void of amorous intrigue. The actresses laughed at me when they perceived there was no mistress's part. The fcene of the double difcovery between Oedipus and Jocafta, partly taken from Sophocles, appeared to them quite infipid. In short, the ac tórs who were great men at that time, and great coxcombs, absolutely refused to bring on the play. I was then extremely young; I supposed, they must be in the right. In compliance to them, I spoiled the whole tragedy, by introduc ing tender fentiments in a fubject fo little fufcep tible of them. When there was a love-intrigue, the players began to be fatisfied; but were still entirely against the important scene between Oedipus and Jocafta. Sophocles and his imitator were both laughed at. I argued the cafe ; and employed fome friends, by whose interest Oedipus was at last represented. One of the players, whose name was Quinaut, faid, that to punish me for my obstinacy, they ought to act it with it's bad fourth act taken from the Greek.' Befides, it was looked upon as the greatest mark of rashness in me, to dare to undertake a fubject which Peter Corneille had already handled fo fuccessfully. Corneille's Oedipus at that time was thought excellent; but, for my part, I found it a very bad performance: twelve years ago I dared not fay fo; but now every body is of my opinion. It is fometimes a great while before justice is exactly administered. The two Oedipus' of Mr de la Motte had their proper value fet, in a fhorter time. The reverend father de Tournemine has probably shewn you the preface, in which I declare war to that author. Mr. de la Motte is a very ingenious man; he somewhat resembles the Grecian wrestler, who, when he was actually down, proved by force of argument, that he was the conqueror. I entirely differ in my opinions from Mr. de la Motte; but you have taught me to difpute like a gentleman. I write against him in fo civil a manner, that I defired he should be the examiner of this very preface, in which I endeavour in every line, to point out his miskakes; and he has himself approved my little polemical dissertation. It is thus men of letters should difpute; and thus they would attack each other had they been bred under your care; but in general, they are as fatirical as lawyers, and as choleric as janfenifts t. The human letters are become extremely inhumane. Men of literature injure, cabal, A very ingenious French writer; the most remarkable of his works is a volume of fables in verfe, on a different plan from fop's; instead of beafts, he introduces and personifies, in a very delicate and moral manner, the different qualities of the mind, as well as the several virtues we are capable of, and the vices we are prone to. † A religous fect in France, which, like all other new fects that are perfecuted, is remarkably rigid, zealous, and paffionate. calumniate and lampoon each other. It is fur. prizing that people will take the liberty to write things they dare not speak. For my part, I have learned from you, reverend father, to avoid fuch meanneffes; you have taught me how to live, as well as how to write. The Mufes fweet, heavenly train, Adieu, my dear reverend father; I fhall be ever devoted to you and yours with that tender acknowlegement which is due to you, and which your pupils do not always preferve. The tranflator, who has no fort of pretence to poetry, has attempted the above lines, merely to fhew that the original was in verfe. The number of verfes, length of lines, and return of rhyme, are the fame as in the French. A DEFENCE of the laws of the DRAMA, concerning the unities of Action, Place and Time; against the opinion of Monfeur de la MOTTE. In the Preface to OEDIPUS. OEDIPUS, of which a new edition is now published, was reprefented, for the first time, in the beginning of the year 1718. The public received it with great indulgence, and has often seen it fince, with pleasure: which I attribute, partly, to the advantage this tragedy has always met with, of being extremely well acted, and partly, to the folemnity and pathos of the fubject. Father Folard a jefuit, and Mr. de la Motte of the French academy, have fince handled the fame fubject, and both have avoided the faults which I have been guilty of. It would not become me to give an account of their performances. My criticifms, and, even my praifes, would appear equally fufpicious *. * Mr. de la Motte publifhed two Oedipufes in 1726, one in rhyme, the other in profe. The Ocdipus in rhyme appeared on the ftage four nights; the other was never acted. Voltaire. |