Yet  the  effect  of  his  plain  and  homely  subjects
was  so  strikingly  superior  to  that  of  the  vapid
and  heroic  productions  of  the  day,  as  to  induce
some  of  his  contemporary  admirers  to  pronounce
that  he  had  reached  the  acme  of  dramatic  excel-
lence, and  struck  into  the  best  and  most  genuine
path  of  tragedy.  George  Barnwell,  it  was  ob-
served, drew  more  tears  than  the  rants  of
Alexander.  This  might  be  true,  but  it  did  not
bring  the  comparison  of  humble  and  heroic  sub-
jects to  a  lair  test ;  for  the  tragedy  of  Alexander
is  bad  not  from  its  subject,  but  from  the  incapa-
city of  the  poet  who  composed  it.  It  does  not
prove  that  heroes  drawn  from  history  or  romance
are  not  at  least  as  susceptible  of  high  and  poetical
effect  as  a  wicked  apprentice,  or  a  distressed
gentleman  pawning  his  moveables.  It  is  one
question  whether  Lillo  has  given  to  his  subjects
from  private  life  the  degree  of  beauty  of  which
they  are  susceptible.  He  is  a  master  of  terrific,
but  not  of  tender  impressions.  We  feel  a
harshness  and  gloom  in  his  genius  even  while
we  are  compelled  to  admire  its  force  and  origi-
nality.
