ONTHEIDEAOFCOMEDYANDOFTHEUSESOFTHECOMICSPIRIT{1}
　　GoodComediesaresuchrareproductions，thatnotwithstandingthewealthofourliteratureintheComicelement，itwouldnotoccupyuslongtorunovertheEnglishlist。IftheyarebroughttothetestIshallpropose，veryreputableComedieswillbefoundunworthyoftheirstation，liketheladiesofArthur'sCourtwhentheywerereducedtotheordealofthemantle。
　　ThereareplainreasonswhytheComicpoetisnotafrequentapparition;andwhythegreatComicpoetremainswithoutafellow。
　　Asocietyofcultivatedmenandwomenisrequired，whereinideasarecurrentandtheperceptionsquick，thathemaybesuppliedwithmatterandanaudience。Thesemi—barbarismofmerelygiddycommunities，andfeverishemotionalperiods，repelhim;andalsoastateofmarkedsocialinequalityofthesexes;norcanhewhosebusinessistoaddressthemindbeunderstoodwherethereisnotamoderatedegreeofintellectualactivity。
　　Moreover，totouchandkindlethemindthroughlaughter，demandsmorethansprightliness，amostsubtledelicacy。ThatmustbeanatalgiftintheComicpoet。Thesubstancehedealswithwillshowhimastartlingexhibitionofthedyer'shand，ifheiswithoutit。
　　Peoplearereadytosurrenderthemselvestowittythumpsontheback，breast，andsides;allexceptthehead:anditistherethatheaims。Hemustbesubtletopenetrate。Acorrespondingacutenessmustexisttowelcomehim。Thenecessityforthetwoconditionswillexplainhowitisthatwecounthimduringcenturiesinthesingularnumber。
　　'C'estuneetrangeentreprisequecelledefairerireleshonnetesgens，'Molieresays;andthedifficultyoftheundertakingcannotbeover—estimated。
　　Thenagain，heisbesetwithfoestorightandleft，ofacharacterunknowntothetragicandthelyricpoet，oreventophilosophers。
　　WehaveinthisworldmenwhomRabelaiswouldcallagelasts;thatistosay，non—laughers;menwhoareinthatrespectasdeadbodies，whichifyouprickthemdonotbleed。Theoldgreyboulder—stonethathasfinisheditsperegrinationfromtherocktothevalley，isaseasilytobesetrollingupagainasthesemenlaughing。Nocollisionofcircumstancesinourmortalcareerstrikesalightforthem。Itisbutonestepfrombeingagelastictomisogelastic，andthe[Greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]，thelaughter—hating，soonlearnstodignifyhisdislikeasanobjectioninmorality。
　　Wehaveanotherclassofmen，whoarepleasedtoconsiderthemselvesantagonistsoftheforegoing，andwhomwemaytermhypergelasts;theexcessivelaughers，ever—laughing，whoareasclappersofabell，thatmayberungbyabreeze，agrimace;whoaresolooselyputtogetherthatawinkwillshakethem。
　　'……C'estn'estimerrienqu'estionertoutlemonde，'
　　andtolaughateverythingistohavenoappreciationoftheComicofComedy。
　　Neitherofthesedistinctdivisionsofnon—laughersandover—
　　laugherswouldbeentertainedbyreadingTheRapeoftheLock，orseeingaperformanceofLeTartuffe。Inrelationtothestage，theyhavetakeninourlandtheformandtitleofPuritanandBacchanalian。Forthoughthestageisnolongerapublicoffender，andShakespearehasbeenrevivedonit，togiveitnobility，wehavenotyetentirelyraiseditabovethecontentionofthesetwoparties。OurspeakingonthethemeofComedywillappearalmostalibertineproceedingtoone，whiletheotherwillthinkthatthespeakingofitseriouslybringsusintoviolentcontrastwiththesubject。
　　Comedy，wehavetoadmit，wasneveroneofthemosthonouredoftheMuses。Shewasinherorigin，shortofslaughter，theloudestexpressionofthelittlecivilizationofmen。ThelightofAtheneovertheheadofAchillesilluminatesthebirthofGreekTragedy。
　　ButComedyrolledinshoutingunderthedivineprotectionoftheSonoftheWine—jar，asDionysusismadetoproclaimhimselfbyAristophanes。OursecondCharleswasthepatron，oflikebenignity，ofourComedyofManners，whichbegansimilarlyasacombativeperformance，underalicencetoderideandoutragethePuritan，andwashereandthereBacchanalianbeyondtheAristophanicexample:
　　worse，inasmuchasacynicallicentiousnessismoreabominablethanfrankfilth。AneminentFrenchmanjudgesfromthequalityofsomeofthestuffdredgedupforthelaughterofmenandwomenwhosatthroughanAthenianComicplay，thattheycouldhavehadsmalldelicacyinotheraffairswhentheyhadsolittleintheirchoiceofentertainment。Perhapshedoesnotmakesufficientallowancefortheregulatedlicenceofplainspeakingpropertothefestivalofthegod，andclaimedbytheComicpoetashisinalienableright，orforthefactthatitwasafestivalinaseasonoflicence，inacityaccustomedtogiveeartotheboldestutteranceofbothsidesofacase。Howeverthatmaybe，therecanbenoquestionthatthemenandwomenwhosatthroughtheactingofWycherley'sCountryWifewerepastblushing。OurtenacityofnationalimpressionshascausedthewordtheatresincethentoprodthePuritannervoussystemlikeasatanicinstrument;justasonehasknownAnti—Papists，forwhomSmithfieldwasredolentofasinistersmoke，asthoughtheyhadalaterrecollectionoftheplacethanthelowingherds。HereditaryPuritanism，regardingthestage，ismet，tothisday，inmanyfamiliesquiteundistinguishedbyarrogantpiety。Ithassubsidedaltogetherasapowerintheprofessionofmorality;butitisanerrortosupposeitextinct，andunjustalsotoforgetthatithadoncegoodreasontohate，shun，andrebukeourpublicshows。
　　WeshallfindourselvesaboutwheretheComicspiritwouldplaceus，ifwestandatmiddledistancebetweentheinveterateopponentsandthedrum—and—fifesupportersofComedy:'Commeunpointfixefaitremarquerl'emportementdesautres，'asPascalsays。Andweretheremoreinthisposition，Comicgeniuswouldflourish。
　　OurEnglishideaofaComedyofMannersmightbeimagedinthepersonofablowsycountrygirl——sayHoyden，thedaughterofSirTunbellyClumsy，who，whenathome，'neverdisobeyedherfatherexceptintheeatingofgreengooseberries'——transformingtoavarnishedCitymadam;withaloudlaughandamincingstep;thecrazyancestressofanaccountablyfallendescendant。Shebustlesprodigiouslyandispunctuallysmartinherspeech，alwaysinaflustertoescapefromDulness，astheysaythedogsontheNile—
　　banksdrinkattheriverrunningtoavoidthecrocodile。Ifthemonstercatchesher，asattimeshedoes，shewhipshimtoafroth，sothatthosewhoknowDulnessonlyasathingofponderousness，shallfailtorecognisehiminthatlightandairyshape。
　　WhenshehasfrolickedthroughherfiveActstosurpriseyouwiththeinformationthatMr。AimwellisconvertedbyasuddendeathintheworldoutsidethescenesintoLordAimwell，andcanmarrytheladyinthelightofday，itistothecreditofhervivaciousnaturethatshedoesnotanticipateyourcallingherFarce。Fiveisdignitywithatrailingrobe;whereasone，two，orthreeActswouldbeshortskirts，anddegrading。Advicehasbeengiventohouseholders，thattheyshouldfollowuptheshotataburglarinthedarkbyhurlingthepistolafterit，sothatifthebulletmisses，theweaponmaystrikeandassuretherascalhehasit。Thepointofherwitisinthisfashionsupplementedbytherattleofhertongue，andeffectively，accordingtothetestimonyofheradmirers。Herwitisatonce，likesteaminanengine，themotiveforceandthewarningwhistleofherheadlongcourse;anditvanisheslikethetrackofsteamwhenshehasreachedherterminus，nevertroublingthebrainsafterwards;ameritthatitshareswithgoodwine，tothejoyoftheBacchanalians。Astothiswit，itiswarlike。IntheneatesthandsitisliketheswordofthecavalierintheMall，quicktoflashoutuponslightprovocation，andforasimilaroffice——towound。Commonlyitsattitudeisentirelypugilistic;twobluntfistsrallyingandcountering。Whenharmless，aswhentheword'fool'occurs，orallusionstothestateofhusband，ithasthesoundofthesmackofharlequin'swanduponclown，andistothesameextentexhilarating。Believethatidleemptylaughteristhemostdesirableofrecreations，andsignificantComedywillseempaleandshallowincomparison。OurpopularideawouldbehitbythesculpturedgroupofLaughterholdingbothhissides，whileComedypummels，bywayofticklinghim。Astoameaning，sheholdsthatitdoesnotconducetomakingmerry:youmightaswellcarrycannononaracing—yacht。Moralityisaduennatobecircumvented。ThiswastheviewofEnglishComedyofasagaciousessayist，whosaidthattheendofaComedywouldoftenbethecommencementofaTragedy，werethecurtaintoriseagainontheperformers。Inthoseolddaysfemalemodestywasprotectedbyafan，behindwhich，anditwasofaconvenientsemicircularbreadth，theladiespresentinthetheatreretiredatasignalofdecorum，topeep，covertlyaskant，orwiththeoptionofsopeeping，throughaprettilyfringedeyelet—holeintheeclipsingarch。
　　'Egolimisspectosicperflabellumclanculum。'—
　　TERENCE。
　　Thatfanistheflagandsymbolofthesocietygivingusourso—
　　calledComedyofManners，orComedyofthemannersofSouth—seaIslandersundercityveneer;andastoComicidea，vacuousasthemaskwithoutthefacebehindit。
　　Elia，whosehumourdelightedinfloatingagalleonparadoxandwaftingitasfarasitwouldgo，bewailstheextinctionofourartificialComedy，likeapoetsighingoverthevanishedsplendourofCleopatra'sNile—barge;andthesedatenessofhispleaforacausecondemnedeveninhistimetothepenitentiary，isanoveleffectoftheludicrous。Whentherealismofthose'fictitioushalf—believedpersonages，'ashecallsthem，hadceasedtostrike，theywereobjectionablecompany，uncaressableaspuppets。Theirartificesarestaringlynaked，andhavenowtheeffectofapaintedfaceviewed，afterwarmhoursofdancing，inthemorninglight。HowcouldtheLurewellsandthePlyantseverhavebeenpraisedforingenuityinwickedness？Critics，apparentlysober，andofhighreputation，helduptheirshallowknaveriesfortheworldtoadmire。
　　TheseLurewells，Plyants，Pinchwifes，Fondlewifes，MissPrue，Peggy，Hoyden，allofthemsavecharmingMilamant，aredeadaslastyear'sclothesinafashionablefinelady'swardrobe，anditmustbeanexceptionablyabandonedAbigailofourperiodthatwouldlookonthemwiththewishtoappearintheirlikeness。WhetherthepuppetshowofPunchandJudyinspiresourstreet—urchinstohaveinstantrecoursetotheirfistsinadispute，afterthefashionofeveryoneoftheactorsinthatpublicentertainmentwhogetspossessionofthecudgel，isopentoquestion:ithasbeenhinted;andangrymoralistshavetracedthenationaltastefortalesofcrimetothesmellofbloodinournursery—songs。Itwillatanyratehardlybequestionedthatitisunwholesomeformenandwomentoseethemselvesastheyare，iftheyarenobetterthantheyshouldbe:
　　andtheywillnot，whentheyhaveimprovedinmanners，caremuchtoseethemselvesastheyoncewere。ThatcomesofrealismintheComicart;anditisnotpubliccaprice，buttheconsequenceofabetteringstate。{2}Thesameofanimmoralmaybesaidofrealisticexhibitionsofavulgarsociety。
　　TheFrenchmakeacriticaldistinctionincequiremuefromcequiemeut——thatwhichagitatesfromthatwhichtoucheswithemotion。Intherealisticcomedyitisanincessantremuage——nocalm，merelybustlingfigures，andnothought。ExceptingCongreve'sWayoftheWorld，whichfailedonthestage，therewasnothingtokeepourcomedyaliveonitsmerits;neither，withallitsrealism，trueportraiture，normuchquotablefun，noridea;neithersaltnorsoul。
　　TheFrenchhaveaschoolofstatelycomedytowhichtheycanflyforrenovationwhenevertheyhavefallenawayfromit;andtheirhavingsuchaschoolismainlythereasonwhy，asJohnStuartMillpointedout，theyknowmenandwomenmoreaccuratelythanwedo。MolierefollowedtheHoratianprecept，toobservethemannersofhisageandgivehischaractersthecolourbefittingthematthetime。Hedidnotpaintinrawrealism。Heseizedhischaractersfirmlyforthecentralpurposeoftheplay，stampedthemintheidea，andbyslightlyraisingandsofteningtheobjectofstudy（asinthecaseoftheex—Huguenot，DukedeMontausier，{3}forthestudyoftheMisanthrope，and，accordingtoSt。Simon，theAbbeRoquetteforTartuffe），generalizeduponitsoastomakeitpermanentlyhuman。
　　Concedethatitisnaturalforhumancreaturestoliveinsociety，andAlcesteisanimperishablemarkofone，thoughheisdrawninlightoutline，withoutanyforciblehumancolouring。OurEnglishschoolhasnotclearlyimaginedsociety;andofthemindhoveringabovecongregatedmenandwomen，ithasimaginednothing。Thecriticswhopraiseitforitsdownrightness，andforbringingthesituationshometous，astheyadmiringlysay，cannotbutdisapproveofMoliere'scomedy，whichappealstotheindividualmindtoperceiveandparticipateinthesocial。Wehavesplendidtragedies，wehavethemostbeautifulofpoeticplays，andwehaveliterarycomediespassinglypleasanttoread，andoccasionallytoseeacted。
　　Byliterarycomedies，Imeancomediesofclassicinspiration，drawnchieflyfromMenanderandtheGreekNewComedythroughTerence;orelsecomediesofthepoet'spersonalconception，thathavehadnomodelinlife，andarehumorousexaggerations，happyorotherwise。
　　ThesearethecomediesofBenJonson，Massinger，andFletcher。
　　Massinger'sJusticeGreedywecanallofusrefertoatype，'withfatcaponlined'thathasbeenandwillbe;andhewouldbecomic，asPanurgeiscomic，butonlyaRabelaiscouldsethimmovingwithrealanimation。ProbablyJusticeGreedywouldbecomictotheaudienceofacountryboothandtosomeofourfriends。Ifwehavelostouryouthfulrelishforthepresentationofcharactersputtogethertofitatype，wefindithardtoputtogetherthemechanismofacivilsmileathisenumerationofhisdishes。
　　SomethingofthesameistobesaidofBobadil，swearing'bythefootofPharaoh';withareservation，forheismadetomovefaster，andtoact。ThecomicofJonsonisascholar'sexcogitationofthecomic;thatofMassingeramoralist's。
　　Shakespeareisawell—springofcharacterswhicharesaturatedwiththecomicspirit;withmoreofwhatwewillcallblood—lifethanistobefoundanywhereoutofShakespeare;andtheyareofthisworld，buttheyareoftheworldenlargedtoourembracebyimagination，andbygreatpoeticimagination。Theyare，asitwere——Iputittosuitmypresentcomparison——creaturesofthewoodsandwilds，notinwalledtowns，notgroupedandtonedtopursueacomicexhibitionofthenarrowerworldofsociety。Jaques，Falstaffandhisregiment，thevariedtroopofClowns，Malvolio，SirHughEvansandFluellen——
　　marvellousWelshmen！——BenedictandBeatrice，Dogberry，andtherest，aresubjectsofaspecialstudyinthepoeticallycomic。
　　HisComedyofincredibleimbrogliobelongstotheliterarysection。
　　OnemayconceivethattherewasanaturalresemblancebetweenhimandMenander，bothintheschemeandstyleofhislighterplays。
　　HadShakespearelivedinalaterandlessemotional，lessheroicalperiodofourhistory，hemighthaveturnedtothepaintingofmannersaswellashumanity。Euripideswouldprobably，inthetimeofMenander，whenAthenswasenslavedbutprosperous，havelenthishandtothecompositionofromanticcomedy。Hecertainlyinspiredthatfinegenius。
　　PoliticallyitisaccountedamisfortuneforFrancethathernoblesthrongedtotheCourtofLouisQuatorze。Itwasaboontothecomicpoet。Hehadthatlivelyquicksilverworldoftheanimalculepassions，thehugepretensions，theplacidabsurdities，underhiseyesinfullactivity;vociferousquacksandsnappingdupes，hypocrites，posturers，extravagants，pedants，rose—pinkladiesandmadgrammarians，sonneteeringmarquises，high—flyingmistresses，plain—mindedmaids，inter—threadingasinaloom，noisyasatafair。Asimplybourgeoiscirclewillnotfurnishit，forthemiddleclassmusthavethebrilliant，flippant，independentupperforaspurandapattern;otherwiseitislikelytobeinwardlydullaswellasoutwardlycorrect。Yet，thoughtheKingwasbenevolenttowardMoliere，itisnottotheFrenchCourtthatweareindebtedforhisunrivalledstudiesofmankindinsociety。FortheamusementoftheCourttheballetsandfarceswerewritten，whicharedearertotherabbleupper，astotherabblelower，classthanintellectualcomedy。TheFrenchbourgeoisieofParisweresufficientlyquick—
　　wittedandenlightenedbyeducationtowelcomegreatworkslikeLeTartuffe，LesFemmesSavantes，andLeMisanthrope，worksthatwereperilousventuresonthepopularintelligence，bigvesselstolaunchonstreamsrunningtoshallows。TheTartuffehoveintoviewasanenemy'svessel;itoffended，notDieumaislesdevots，asthePrincedeCondeexplainedthecabalraisedagainstittotheKing。
　　TheFemmesSavantesisacapitalinstanceoftheusesofcomedyinteachingtheworldtounderstandwhatailsit。ThefarceofthePrecieusesridiculedandputastoptothemonstrousromanticjargonmadepopularbycertainfamousnovels。ThecomedyoftheFemmesSavantesexposedthelaterandlessapparentbutmorefinelycomicabsurdityofanexcessivepurismingrammaranddiction，andthetendencytobeidioticinprecision。TheFrenchhadfelttheburdenofthisnewnonsense;buttheyhadtoseethecomedyseveraltimesbeforetheywereconsoledintheirsufferingbyseeingthecauseofitexposed。
　　TheMisanthropewasyetmorefrigidlyreceived。Molierethoughtitdead。'Icannotimproveonit，andassuredlynevershall，'hesaid。
　　ItisoneoftheFrenchtitlestohonourthatthisquintessentialcomedyoftheoppositionofAlcesteandCelimenewasultimatelyunderstoodandapplauded。Inallcountriesthemiddleclasspresentsthepublicwhich，fightingtheworld，andwithagoodfootinginthefight，knowstheworldbest。Itmaybethemostselfish，butthatisaquestionleadingusintosophistries。
　　Cultivatedmenandwomen，whodonotskimthecreamoflife，andareattachedtotheduties，yetescapetheharsherblows，makeacuteandbalancedobservers。Moliereistheirpoet。