Dignities, and beſt Men of the Nation, are advantageous to that kind of Writing. But if that Liberty was often abuſed, and if the Drama is capable of a nobler Turn, and of giving a more refined Pleaſure; if more Truth can be brought into the Manners, and Men and their Natures more generally repreſented, in that caſe it muſt give way to the new.
I must however own, that while the high Democracy prevailed at Athens, and the Commonalty were poſſeſſed of that uncontrouled Power which Pericles had put in their hands, and Cleon exerciſed, during that time, Ariſtophanes and his Fellows had Originals to draw from; and in that reſpect their Wit and Writings, which appear to us theatrical and falſe, are natural and true. But that wild licentious Government was no ſooner check'd by Fears from abroad, (which always produce Regulations at Home) than the κάλοι κἀγαθοί, the Men of Capacity and Worth, began to diſtinguiſh themſelves and appear eminent; A Secretion was made; Manners were formed, and Characters obſerved and valued. Here was the Riſe of the new Comedy; Ribaldry was baniſhed, and Menander wrote. That is, at a Seaſon when Liberty was not loſt, but the Excreſcencies of it lopp'd off; when the Humour of that witty People was not quaſhed but regulated: So true it is, That every kind of Writing, but eſpecially the Poetick, depends
