[Greek: Monon phylaxai tas d' epistolas patros][50] [Greek: To sôphronein timôsa tou biou pleon.] Our _Poets_ I suppose would call this Preaching, and think it a dull Business. However I can't forbear saying an honest Heathen is none of the worst Men: A very indifferent Religion well Believed, will go a great way. To proceed. _Sophocles_ appear'd next upon the _Stage_, and was in earnest an Extraordinary Person. His Conduct is more Artificial, and his Stile more just, than that of _Æschylus_. His Characters are well drawn, and Uniform with themselves: His _Incidents_, are often surprising, and his _Plots_ unprecipitated. There is nothing but what is Great, and Solemn Throughout. The Reasoning is well Coloured. The Figures are sometimes Bold, but not Extravagant. There are no Flights of Bombast, no Towring above Nature and Possibility: In short, Nothing like Don _Sebastians_ Reigning in his _Atomes_.[51] This Tragedian like _Æschylus_ does not often concern himself with _Amours_, and when he does, nothing can be more temperate, and decent. For example where the Incest of _Oedipus_ is described,[52] the Offensiveness of the Idea is screen'd off and broken by Metaphorical and distant Expressions. In another _Play_[53] _Creon_ resolves to put _Antigone_ to Death for presuming to bury _Polynices_. This Lady and _Hæmon_ _Creons_ Son were very far engaged; _Hæmon_ endeavours to disswade his Father from _Antigones_ Execution: He tells him the burying her Brother tho' against his Order, was a popular Action. And that the People would resent her being punish'd: But never so much as mentions his own Concern unless in one Line; which was so obscure that _Creon_ misunderstood him. _Antigone_ amongst her other Misfortunes laments her dying Young and Single, but says not one word about _Hæmon_. The _Poet_ takes care not to bring these two Lovers upon the _Stage_ together, for fear they might prove unmanagable? Had They been with us, they had met with kinder treatment. They might have had Interviews and Time and Freedom enough. Enough to mud their Fancy, to tarnish their Quality, and make their Passion Scandalous. In the Relation of _Hæmons_ Death, his Love is related too, and that with all the Life and _Pathos_ imaginable. But the Description is within the Terms of Honour: The tendernesses are Solemn, as well as Soft: They move to [54]Pity and Concern, and go no farther. In his _Trachiniæ_ the _Chorus_ owns the Force of Love next to irresistable; gently hints the Intrigues of the Gods, and then passes on to a handsome [55]Image of the Combat between _Achelous_ and _Hercules_. We see how lightly the _Poet_ touches upon an amorous Theme: He glides along like a Swallow upon the Water, and skims the Surface, without dipping a Feather.