Notwithstanding the pathetic beauties of the last act, the attention
which this tragedy has excited in Italy must be principally attributed
to the boldness of the author in so completely emancipating himself
from the fetters of the dramatic unities. The severity with which the
tragic poets of that country have, in general, restricted themselves
to those rules has been sufficiently remarkable to obtain, at least,
temporary distinction for the courage of the writer who should
attempt to violate them. Although this piece comprises a period of
several years, and that, too, in days so troubled and so “full of
fate”--days in which the deepest passions and most powerful energies
of the human mind were called into action by the strife of conflicting
interests--there is, nevertheless, as great a deficiency of incident,
as if “to be born and die” made all the history of aspiring natures
contending for supremacy. The character of the hero is portrayed in
words, not in actions; it does not unfold itself in any struggle of
opposite feelings and passions, and the interest excited for him only
commences at the moment when it ought to have reached its climax. The
merits of the piece may be summed up in the occasional energy of the
language and dignity of the thoughts; and the truth with which the
spirit of the age is characterised, as well in the development of that
suspicious policy distinguishing the system of the Venetian government,
as in the pictures of the fiery Condottieri, holding their councils of
war--
“Jealous of honour, sudden and quick in quarrel.”
CAIUS GRACCHUS.
A TRAGEDY,
BY MONTI.
This tragedy, though inferior in power and interest to the
_Aristodemo_ of the same author, is nevertheless distinguished
by beauties of a high order, and such as, in our opinion, fully
establish its claims to more general attention than it has hitherto
received. Although the loftiness and severity of Roman manners, in
the days of the Republic, have been sufficiently preserved to give an
impressive character to the piece, yet those workings of passion and
tenderness--without which dignity soon becomes monotonous, and heroism
unnatural--have not been (as in the tragedies of Alfieri upon similar
subjects) too rigidly suppressed.
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