esent
scene requires it. But of all poets, this commendation is to be given
to Ben Jonson, that the manners even of the most inconsiderable
persons in his plays, are every where apparent.

By considering the second quality of manners, which is, that they be
suitable to the age, quality, country, dignity, &c. of the character,
we may likewise judge whether a poet has followed nature. In this
kind, Sophocles and Euripides have more excelled among the Greeks than
AEschylus; and Terence more than Plautus, among the Romans. Thus,
Sophocles gives to OEdipus the true qualities of a king, in both those
plays which bear his name; but in the latter, which is the "OEdipus
Coloneus," he lets fall on purpose his tragic style; his hero speaks
not in the arbitrary tone; but remembers, in the softness of his
complaints, that he is an unfortunate blind old man; that he is
banished from his country, and persecuted by his next relations. The
present French poets are generally accused, that wheresoever they lay
the scene, or in whatsoever age, the manners of their heroes are
wholly French. Racine's Bajazet is bred at Constantinople; but his
civilities are conveyed to him, by some secret passage, from
Versailles into the seraglio. But our Shakespeare, having ascribed to
Henry the Fourth the character of a king and of a father, gives him
the perfect manners of each relation, when either he transacts with
his son or with his subjects. Fletcher, on the other side, gives
neither to Arbaces, nor to his king, in "The Maid's Tragedy," the
qualities which are suitable to a monarch; though he may be excused a
little in the latter, for the king there is not uppermost in the
character; it is the lover of Evadne, who is king only in a second
consideration; and though he be unjust, and has other faults which
shall be nameless, yet he is not the hero of the play. It is true, we
find him a lawful prince, (though I never heard of any king that was
in Rhodes) and therefore Mr Rymer's criticism stands good,--that he
should not be shown in so vicious a character. Sophocles has been more
judicious in his "Antigona;" for, though he represents in Creon a
bloody prince, yet he makes him not a lawful king, but an usurper, and
Antigona herself is the heroine of the tragedy: but when Philaster
wounds Arethusa and the boy; and Perigot his mistress, in the
"Faithful Shepherdess," both these are contrary to the character of
manhood. Nor is Valentinian managed much bet