9.3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-24
9.4
IN COMEDY, POETS FIRST FORM THE FABLE, AND THEN ADD ANY CASUAL NAMES.
WE have already been shewn, as the first distinction between history and poetry, that one describes the real actions of a particular person, the other fictitious, though probable events that are supposed to happen to an imaginary one. And fuch qualities are to be given to this imaginary person, as will best suit these events, and the part he takes in them; and these qualities are not only to be marked by the action and sentiments, but even the names given to the characters should be expressive of them. It seems, however, that having faid this, the critic recollected, that in tragedy the practice was different: for though the incidents, the manners, and the sentiments, were to be formed on general nature, the names were to be those of real historical persons. In comedy, however, he says, names expressive of the quality of the character are used. And, indeed, by this contrivance, the inconvenience attending comedy, mentioned in the fragment, quoted in Note 1. Chap. VII. is, in great measure, obviated. For if the quality of the tragic person is known as foon as his name is announced from recollection, the fame thing will happen in comedy, if such characteristic appellations are given as Pamphilus, or Parmeno, Dapperwit, or Wellbred. Steele, however, in the first number of his paper, called The Lover, intended as a kind of sequel to the Spectator, makes the following observation on this practice. • I shall shun also names significant of the person's • character of whom I talk; a trick used by playwrights, which I have Bb 2 long
، long thought no better a device than of underwriting the name of an • animal on a poft, which the painter conceived too delicately drawn to • be known by common eyes, or by his delineation of the limbs.' It is remarkable, than in this identical paper, an old bachelor is called Wildgoose; and, in the next, the supposed author of the work, the Lover, is named Marmaduke Myrtle. Indeed, the mixture of characteristic names with common ones, though very abfurd, is not unusual. In the Jealous Wife we meet with Mr. and Mrs. Oakly, Sir Harry Beagle, and Terence Ocutter: and, in its archetype Tom Jones, Allworthy stands alone among an hoft of common names. Another impropriety often attends characteriftic names in modern comedy, from the husband and wife having the fame name; in confequence of this a very quiet nobleman, in one of Congreve's comedies, is called Lord Touchwood; and this impropriety is still greater when the characters of the husband and wife are particularly contrafted as to their conduct to each other. Where is the propriety of Mrs. Bruin, and Mrs. Sneak, in the Mayor of Garrat? In Mr. Cumberland's Observer, there is a very well conducted and interesting fable, where the principal person, from his indolence of disposition, is called Ned Drowsy. This gentleman, like Cymon, is entirely altered by falling in love, and he becomes a very spirited and active young man. His name, therefore, ceafing to be expressive of his character, the poet is obliged to change it by an application to parliament. The introducing a kind of pun on the characteristic name given by the author, one should conceive the lowest effort of dulness to excite a laugh, and yet it is practised by respectable writers; as for example: in the Provoked Husband, Manly says to Sir Francis, O thou head of the wrong- ' heads.' Of all writers, Mr. Anstey has made the most happy use of characteristic names in the Bath Guide. They really contribute greatly to
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. to the humour of a poem, which draws it, besides, from a thousand different fources. On the Greek theatre, the comic scene, like the tragic, was always laid at home. Indeed, it could be laid no where else. They knew the manners of no other people. Terence adopted Athenian manners from Menander; and Moliere, in many of his pieces, from Terence. The whole interest of L'Etourdi turns on the purchase of a flave. Our older comedies are generally founded on foreign stories. The only comedy of Shakespear, where the scene is laid in England, (except the comic parts of his historical plays), is The Merry Wives of Windfor. The fame remark is, in general, applicable to Beaumont and Fletcher. A [D] Spanish story, with some English characters introduced, was, for a confiderable time, much the fashion here, and is still a favorite fubject for the musical drama. The regular comedy, at present, I believe, confines itself to domeftic fable and character, if not to domeftic scene; for, I believe, the comic muse has ventured to cross both the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, to visit our colonies. [D] I would recommend to those critics who think they can explain every passage in the ancient dramatic writers, to turn their thoughts to the following speech, in one of Dryden's comedies, which, to me, has always been perfectly unintelligible. It is in the Mock Astrologer, where a Spanish character, refusing to enter into a scheme as inconfiftent with his honor, an Englishman says to him, Nay, and you talk of honor; by your leave, Sir, I hate your Spanish honor ever since it spoiled our English plays WITH FACES ABOUT, AND < T'OTHER SIDE.' ، NOTE
