characters in the Chinese
drama is great, ranging from the heroine who sacrifices herself for the
sake of an empire[32] to the well-brought-up young lady who avers that
"woman came into the world to be obedient, to unravel skeins of silk,
and to work with her needle"[33]--from the chambermaid who contrives the
most gently sentimental of _rendezvous_,[34] to the reckless courtesan
who, like another Millwood, upbraids the partner of her guilt on his
suing for mercy, and bids him die with her in hopes of a reunion after
death.[35] In marriage the first or legitimate wife is distinguished
from the second, who is at times a _ci-devant_ courtesan, and towards
whom the feelings of the former vary between bitter jealousy[36] and
sisterly kindness.[37]

Construction and conduct of plots.

The conduct of the plays exhibits much ingenuity, and an aversion from
restrictions of time and place; in fact, the nature of the plot
constantly covers a long series of years, and spans wide intervals of
local distance. The plays are divided into acts and scenes--the former
being usually four in number, at times with an induction or narrative
prologue spoken by some of the characters (_Sie-Tsen_). Favourite plays
were, however, allowed to extend to great length; the _Pi-Pa-Ki_ is
divided into 24 sections, and in another recension apparently comprised
42. "I do not wish," says the manager in the prologue, "that this
performance should last too long; finish it to-day, but cut out
nothing"--whence it appears that the performance of some plays occupied
more than a single day. The rule was always observed that a separate act
should be given up to the _denouement_; while, according to a theory of
which it is not always easy to trace the operation, the perfection of
construction was sought in the dualism or contrast of scene and scene,
just as the perfection of diction was placed in the parallelism or
antithesis of phrase and phrase. Being subject to no restrictions as to
what might, or might not, be represented on the stage, the conduct of
the plots allowed of the introduction of almost every variety of
incidents. Death takes place, in sight of the audience, by
starvation,[38] by drowning,[39] by poison,[40] by execution;[41]
flogging and torture are inflicted on the stage;[42] wonders are
wrought;[43] and magic is brought into play;[44] the ghost of an
innocently-executed daughter calls upon her father to revenge her foul
murder, and assists