at the theatre of Corneille, Racine, Molière and Voltaire, a woman flung into an alcove with her mouth gagged; we are to witness violation itself on the national stage: the day of this representation is fixed. What a school of morality to open to the public; what a spectacle to which to invite the youth of the country; you boast that you are elevating them, but they will soon recognise neither rule nor control! It is not its own fault; but that of superior powers, which take no steps to stem this outbreak of immorality. There is no country in the world, however free, where it is permissible to poison the wells of public morality. In ancient republics, the presentation of a dramatic work was the business of the State; it forbade all that could change the national character, undermine the honour of its laws and outrage public modesty." Witness the _Lysistrata_ of Aristophanes, of which we wish to say a few words to our readers, taking care, however, to translate into Latin those parts which cannot be reproduced in French. "Le latin dans les mots brave l'honnêteté!" It will be seen I quote Boileau when he serves my purpose. Poor Boileau! What a shame for him to be forced to come to the rescue of the author of _Henri III._ and _Antony!_ We are at Athens. The Athenians are at war with the Lacedæmonians; the women are complaining of that interminable Peloponnesian War, which keeps their husbands away from them and prevents them from fulfilling their conjugal duties. The loudest in her complaints is Lysistrata, wife of one of the principal citizens of Athens; so she calls together all the matrons not only of Athens, but also from Lacedæmon, Anagyrus and Corinth. She has a suggestion to make to them. We will let her speak. She is addressing one of the wives convoked by her, who has come to the place of meeting.[1] "LISISTRATA.--Salut, Lampito! Lacédémonienne chérie, que tu es belle! Ma douce amie, quel teint frais! quel air de santé! Tu étranglerais un taureau! "LAMPITO.--Par Castor et Pollux, je le crois bien: je m'exerce au gymnase, et je me frappe du talon dans le derrière." The dance to which Lampito alludes, with a _naïveté_ in keeping with the Doric dialect natural to her, was called _Cibasis._ Let us proceed: "LISISTRATA, _lui prenant la gorge._--Que tu as une belle gorge! "LAMPITO.--Vous me tâtez comme une victime. "LISISTRATA.--Et cette autre jeune fille, de quel pays est-elle? "LAMPITO.--C'est une Béotienne des plus nobles qui nous arrive. "LISISTRATA.--Ah! oui, c'est une Béotienne?.. Elle a un joli jardin!" That reminds me, I forgot to say--and it was the word _jardin_ which reminded me of that omission--that Lampito and Kalonike, the Bœotian, play their parts in the costume Eve wore in the earthly paradise before she sinned. "CALONICE.--Et parfaitement soigné! on eu a arraché le pouliot."