into
all sorts of Crimes and Impieties, because they despised the wise
Institutions of their Ancestors; and neglected this Art, which was so
much the more necessary for them, as they liv'd in the coldest and worst
place of_ Arcadia: _There was scarcely any City in_ Greece, _where
wickedness was so great and frequent as here_. If _Polybius_ speaks thus
of Musick, and accuses _Ephorus_, for having spoken a thing unworthy of
himself, when he said, _That 'twas invented to deceive Mankind_: what
ought we then to say of _Tragedy_, of which Musick is only a small part;
and which is as much above it, as a Word is above an inarticulate Sound,
which signifies nothing.

This is what, according to my Opinion, may be truly said of _Tragedy_,
and the Mean we ought to keep. But to the end this may be justly said,
the Parts must conform themselves entirely to the Rules of Ancient
_Tragedy_, that is to say, which endeavours rather to Instruct than
Please, and regard the Agreeable, as a means only to make the Profitable
more taking; they must paint the Disorders of the Passions, and the
inevitable Mischiefs which arise from thence. 'Twas for this the _Greek
Tragedians_ were so much Honour'd in their own Age, and esteemed in
those which follow'd. Their Theatre was a School, where Virtue was
generally better Taught, than in the Schools of their Philosophers, and
at this very Day, the reading their Pieces will Inspire an Hatred to
Vice, and a Love to Virtue. To Imitate them profitably, we should
re-establish the _Chorus_, which establishing the _veri-Similitude_ of
the _Tragedy_, gives an Opportunity to set forth to the People, those
particular Sentiments, you would inspire them with, and to let them
know, what is Vicious or Laudable, in the Characters which are
Introduc'd. _Mr. Racine_ saw the necessity of this, and cannot be
sufficiently praised, for having brought it, into his two last Pieces,
which have happily reconcil'd _Tragedy_ to its greatest Enemies. Those
who have seen the effects of these _Chorus's_, cannot but be sensible of
their Advantage, and by Consequence, must Consent to what I say in my
Remarks. After Examples, and Authorities of this Nature, I have no
Reason to fear my Arguments. But enough of this Matter, tis time to come
to what respects my self, and to give some Account of this Work.

I have endeavour'd to make the Translation as literal as possible,
being perswaded, that I could not do better, than to stick close t