Horace  also,  as  may  be  seen  by  our  motto — the  great
lawgiver  of  PornassuE — condemns  sanguinary  deeds ;  he
firmly  forbids  such  an  exhibition  as  Medea  murdering  htr
children;  or  the  detestable  butcher  AItc-ub,  preparing
^luman  Sesh.  One  of  the  commentators  on  this  poet  says,
that  his  precept  is  founded  in  nature  and  in  reason;  for
that  it  is  sufficient  to  excite  terror  and  not  horror ;  the
heart  is  not  amended  by  exhibitions  of  blood  and  murder,
but  by  pathetic  distress.  This  is  in  some  measure  only  a
repetition  of  the  principles  laid  down  by  Aristotle.  Let
us  now  hear  what  that  great  philosopher  deliver*,  who  is


THE  COMPOSITION  OP  BALLETS.  167

almost  always  perfect  in  his  conceptions:  "  Since  tragedy"
says  be,  "  is  an  imitalion  of  the  noblest  qualities  to  be
found  amongst  men,  trc  should  fullow  the  example  of  thonc
good  paiiUers  who  give  a  true  likeness,  but  at  the  same
time  beautiiied;  thus  a  poet,  who  would  describe  an
angry  and  outrageous  man,  or  any  similar  kind  of
character,  should  exhibit  what  it  is  possible  passion  might
do,  rather  than  what  it  has  in  reality  done."  —  Poet,
Chap.  XV.
