of honor; and is cautious of committing any action, which he would subsequently be industrious to correct.  Many inconviences encompass a man in years; either because he seeks [eagerly] for gain, and abstains from what he has gotten, and is afraid to make use of it; or because he transacts every thing in a timorous and dispassionate manner, dilatory, slow in hope, remiss, and greedy of futurity.  Peevish, querulous, a panegyrist of former times when he was a boy, a chastiser and censurer of his juniors.  Our advancing years bring many advantages along with them.  Many our declining ones take away.  That the parts [therefore] belonging to age may not be given to youth, and those of a man to a boy, we must dwell upon those qualities which are joined and adapted to each person’s age.

An action is either represented on the stage, or being done elsewhere is there related.  The things which enter by the ear affect the mind more languidly, than such as are submitted to the faithful eyes, and what a spectator presents to himself.  You must not, however, bring upon the stage things fit only to be acted behind the scenes:  and you must take away from view many actions, which elegant description may soon after deliver in presence [of the spectators].  Let not Medea murder her sons before the people; nor the execrable Atreus openly dress human entrails:  nor let Progue be metamorphosed into a bird, Cadmus into a serpent.  Whatever you show to me in this manner, not able to give credit to, I detest.

Let a play which would be inquired after, and though seen, represented anew, be neither shorter nor longer than the fifth act.  Neither let a god interfere, unless a difficulty worthy a god’s unraveling should happen; nor let a fourth person be officious to speak.

Let the chorus sustain the part and manly character of an actor:  nor let them sing any thing between the acts which is not conducive to, and fitly coherent with, the main design.  Let them both patronize the good, and give them friendly advice, and regulate the passionate, and love to appease those who swell [with rage]:  let them praise the repast of a short meal, and salutary effects of justice, laws, and peace with her open gates; let them conceal what is told to them in confidence, and supplicate and implore the gods that prosperity may return to the wretched, and abandon the haughty.  The flute, (not as now, begirt with brass and emulous of the trumpet, but) slender and of simple form, with few stops, was of service to accompany and assist the chorus, and with its tone was sufficient to fill the rows that were not as yet too crowded, where an audience, easily numbered, as being small and sober, chaste and modest, met together.  But when the victorious Romans began to extend their territories, and an ampler wall encompassed the city, and their genius was indulged on festivals by drinking wine in the day-time without censure; a greater freedom arose both, to the numbers