on mean and selfish passions; as soon as Maximus apprehends his rival is to receive Emilia as the reward of his enterprise, he suffers his slave to betray the plot to Augustus. He then endeavours to persuade Emilia to escape with him. All this is very awkwardly conducted.

It is strange that a dramatic writer should not have studied human nature enough to perceive, that the only character which cannot interest upon the the stage, is that which is mean, low, and contemptible. Great spirits, though of a bad kind, engage our attention to all their operations, because they are capable of producing great events. We are curious to see, what the audacious villain will dare to do, what the cunning one will contrive: but when a man is presented to us as a scoundrel, un lâche, we disdain to attend to his actions. However well therefore the great scenes of this play may be written, considered singly, they are very injudiciously managed. We shall now see Cinna appear so despicable, that to punish him would be below the dignity of Augus

tus;

tus; and to retain him as a friend, unworthy of any man. Augustus, informed by the double traitor Maximus, sends for Cinna, and reproaches him with every species of base ingratitude; tells him he first gave him his life, enriched him with the spoils of Antony; upon every occasion had been profuselyliberal and kind to him; preferred his interest even to those, who had fought for him, and by whose blood he had purchased the empire; and had admitted him, upon the death of Mecænas, into the first place in his confidence. Augustus adds too, that it was by his advice he retained his power; and after all this, says he, you would assassinate me. Cinna does not barely deny the conspiracy, but exclaims," I, sir, have I such a treacherous soul, such a base design!"

Augustus cuts him short in this disgraceful lie, shewing him he has full information of the plot; and very justly says, “The liberty of thy country could not be thy object, for then thou wouldst not have hindered my restoring it. Thou must design therefore to reign in my place. Alas! Rome must be

unhappy

unhappy indeed, if I were the only obstacle, and that after my death it into better hands than thine.

should not fall

Learn to know

what thou art: descend into thyself; thou art honoured, praised, and loved, all tremble before thee, so high have I raised thy fortune: but thou wouldst be the pity of those who now envy that fortune, if I abandoned thee to thy own little merit. Contradict me if thou canst; tell me what is thy merit, what are thy virtues, what are thy glorious exploits, what are those rare qualities, by which thou couldst pretend to my favour, what is it raises thee above the vulgar? My favour is thy only glory; thy power arises from it; that alone raises and supports thee; it is that, not thou, which is respected: thou hast neither rank nor credit, but what arises from it; and to let thee fall, I need only draw back the hand that supports thee."

Quel était ton dessein, et que prétendais-tu,
Après m'avoir au temple à tes pieds abattu ?
Affranchir ton pays d'un pouvoir monarchique?
Si j'ai bien entendu tantôt ta politique,

Son

Son salut désormais dépend d'un souverain,

Qui

pour tout conserver tienne tout en sa main; Et si sa liberté te faisait entreprendre,

Tu ne m'eusses jamais empêché de la rendre ;
Tu l'aurais acceptée au nom de tout l'état,
Sans vouloir l'acquerir par un assassinat.

Quel était donc ton but? d'y regner en ma place?
D'un étrange malheur son destin le menace,

Si

pour monter au trône et lui donner la loi,

Tu ne trouves dans Rome autre obstacle que moi;
Si jusques à ce point son sort est déplorable,
Que tu sois après moi le plus considérable;
Et que ce grand fardeau de l'empire Romain
Ne puisse après ma mort tomber mieux qu'en ta 1
Apprens à te connaître, et descens en toi-même.
On t'honore dans Rome, on te courtise, on t'aime ;
Chacun tremble sous toi, chacun t'offre des vœux ;
Ta fortune est bien haut, tu peux ce que je veuxe;
Mais tu ferais pitié, même à ceux qu'elle irrite,
Si je t'abandonnais à ton peu de mérite.
Ose me démentir, dis-moi ce que tu vaux,
Conte moi tes vertus, tes glorieux travaux,

Les rares qualités par où tu m'as dû plaire,
Et tout ce qui t'éleve au-dessus du vulgaire.
Ma faveur fait ta gloire, & ton pouvoir en vien ;
Elle seule t'éleve, & seule te soutient,

C'es

C'est elle qu'on adore, et non pas ta personne,
Tu n'as crédit ni rang qu'autant qu'elle t'en donne ;
Et pour te faire choir je n'aurais aujourd'hui
Qu'à retirer la main qui seule est ton appui.

Emilia enters, and behaves with the most insolent pride, undaunted assurance, and unfeeling ingratitude; and declares to Augustus, that so long as she is handsome enough to get lovers, she shall never want enemies. Augustus still adheres to his plan of clemency, (for that too is plan, and the result of prudent deliberation, not of generous magnanimity;) he pardons Maximus, forgives Cinna in spite of his unworthiness, and bestows upon him Emilia and the consulship. Emilia is at last mitigated, and modestly tells Augustus, that heaven has ordained a change in the commonwealth, since it has changed her heart. What is there in all this that can move either pity or terror? In what is it moral, in what is it interesting, where is it pathetic?

It is a common error, in the plan of Corneille's tragedies, that the interest of the