Sainte—BeuveconjuresuptheghostofMenander，saying:FortheloveofmeloveTerence。ItisthroughloveofTerencethatmodernsareabletoloveMenander;andwhatispreservedofTerencehasnotapparentlygivenusthebestofthefriendofEpicurus。[Greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]thelovertakeninhorror，and[Greektext]thedamselshornofherlocks，haveapromisingsoundforscenesofjealousyandatoomasterfuldisplayoflordlyauthority，leadingtoregrets，ofthekindknowntointemperatemenwhoimaginedtheywerefightingwiththeweaker，asthefragmentsindicate。
OfthesixcomediesofTerence，fourarederivedfromMenander;two，theHecyraandthePhormio，fromApollodorus。ThesetwoareinferiorincomicactionandthepeculiarsweetnessofMenandertotheAndria，theAdelphi，theHeautontimorumenus，andtheEunuchus:
butPhormioisamoredashingandamusingconvivialparasitethantheGnathoofthelast—namedcomedy。Therewerenumerousrivalsofwhomweknownexttonothing——exceptbythequotationsofAthenaeusandPlutarch，andtheGreekgrammarianswhocitedthemtosupportadictum——inthisasintheprecedingperiodsofcomedyinAthens，forMenander\'splaysarecountedbymanyscores，andtheywerecrownedbytheprizeonlyeighttimes。Thefavouritepoetwithcritics，inGreeceasinRome，wasMenander;andifsomeofhisrivalshereandtheresurpassedhimincomicforce，andout—strippedhimincompetitionbyanappositenesstotheoccasionthathadpreviouslyinthesamewaydeprivedthegeniusofAristophanesofitsduerewardinCloudsandBirds，hispositionaschiefofthecomicpoetsofhisagewasunchallenged。PlutarchveryunnecessarilydragsAristophanesintoacomparisonwithhim，totheconfusionoftheolderpoet。Theiraims，themattertheydealtin，andthetimes，werequitedissimilar。ButitisnowonderthatPlutarch，writingwhenAthenianbeautyofstylewasthedelightofhispatrons，shouldrankMenanderatthehighest。InwhatdegreeoffaithfulnessTerencecopiedMenander，whether，ashestatesofthepassageintheAdelphitakenfromDiphilus，verbumdeverbointhelovelierscenes—
—thedescriptionofthelastwordsofthedyingAndrian，andofherfuneral，forinstance——remainsconjectural。ForusTerenceshareswithhismasterthepraiseofanamenitythatislikeElysianspeech，equableandevergracious;likethefaceoftheAndrian\'syoungsister:
\'Adeomodesto，adeovenusto，utnihilsupra。\'
Thecelebrated\'flensquamfamiliariter，\'ofwhichtheclosestrenderinggroundshopelesslyonharshprose，toexpressthesorrowfulconfidingnessofayounggirlwhohaslosthersisteranddearestfriend，andhasbutherloverlefttoher;\'sheturnedandflungherselfonhisbosom，weepingasthoughathomethere\':thisourinstincttellsusmustbeGreek，thoughhardlyfinerinGreek。
CertainlinesofTerence，comparedwiththeoriginalfragments，showthatheembellishedthem;buthistastewastooexquisiteforhimtodootherthandevotehisgeniustothehonesttranslationofsuchpiecesastheabove。Menander，then;withhim，throughtheaffinityofsympathy，Terence;andShakespeareandMolierehavethisbeautifultranslucencyoflanguage:andthestudyofthecomicpoetsmightberecommended，ifforthatonly。
AsingularillfatebefellthewritingsofMenander。WhatwehaveofhiminTerencewaschosenprobablytopleasethecultivatedRomans;{8}andisaromanticplaywithacomicintrigue，obtainedintwoinstances，theAndriaandtheEunuchus，byrollingacoupleofhisoriginalsintoone。Thetitlesofcertainofthelostplaysindicatethecomicilluminingcharacter;aSelf—pitier，aSelf—
chastiser，anIll—temperedman，aSuperstitious，anIncredulous，etc。，pointtosuggestivedomesticthemes。
TerenceforwardedmanuscripttranslationsfromGreece，thatsufferedshipwreck;he，whocouldhaverestoredthetreasure，diedonthewayhome。ThezealotsofByzantiumcompletedtheworkofdestruction。
SowehavethefourcomediesofTerence，numberingsixofMenander，withafewsketchesofplots——oneofthem，theThesaurus，introducesamiser，whomweshouldhavelikedtocontrastwithHarpagon——andamultitudeofsmallfragmentsofasententiouscast，fittedforquotation。Enoughremainstomakehisgreatnessfelt。
WithoutundervaluingotherwritersofComedy，IthinkitmaybesaidthatMenanderandMolierestandalonespeciallyascomicpoetsofthefeelingsandtheidea。IneachofthemthereisaconceptionoftheComicthatrefineseventopain，asintheMenedemusoftheHeautontimorumenus，andintheMisanthrope。MenanderandMolierehavegiventheprincipaltypestoComedyhitherto。TheMicioandDemeaoftheAdelphi，withtheiropposingviewsofthepropermanagementofyouth，arestillalive;theSganarellesandArnolphesoftheEcoledesMarisandtheEcoledesFemmes，arenotallburied。
Tartuffeisthefatherofthehypocrites;Orgonofthedupes;
Thraso，ofthebraggadocios;Alcesteofthe\'Manlys\';DavusandSyrusoftheintriguingvalets，theScapinsandFigaros。LadiesthatsoarintherealmsofRose—Pink，whoselanguagewearsthenoddingplumesofintellectualconceit，aretraceabletoPhilaminteandBeliseoftheFemmesSavantes:andthemordantwittywomenhavethetongueofCelimene。Thereasonis，thatthesetwopoetsidealizeduponlife:thefoundationoftheirtypesisrealandinthequick，buttheypaintedwithspiritualstrength，whichisthesolidinArt。
TheidealisticconceptionsofComedygivesbreadthandopportunitiesofdaringtoComicgenius，andhelpstosolvethedifficultiesitcreates。How，forexample，shallanaudiencebeassuredthatanevidentandmonstrousdupeisactuallydeceivedwithoutbeinganabsolutefool？InLeTartuffethenoteofhighComedystrikeswhenOrgononhisreturnhomehearsofhisidol\'sexcellentappetite。
\'Lepauvrehomme！\'heexclaims。Heistoldthatthewifeofhisbosomhasbeenunwell。\'EtTartuffe？\'heasks，impatienttohearhimspokenof，hismindsuffusedwiththethoughtofTartuffe，crazywithtenderness，andagainhecroons，\'Lepauvrehomme！\'Itisthemother\'scryofpityingdelightatanurse\'srecitalofthefeatsinyounganimalgluttonyofhercherishedinfant。AfterthismasterstrokeoftheComic，younotonlyputfaithinOrgon\'sroseateprepossession，youshareitwithhimbycomicsympathy，andcanlistenwithnomorethanatrembleofthelaughingmusclestotheinstancehegivesofthesublimehumanityofTartuffe:
\'Unrienpresquesuffitpourlescandaliser，Jusque—le，qu\'ilsevintl\'autrejouraccuserD\'avoirprisunepuceenfaisantsapriere，Etdel\'avoirtueeavectropdecolere。\'
Andtohavekilledittoowrathfully！TranslatingMoliereislikehumminganaironehasheardperformedbyanaccomplishedviolinistofthepuretoneswithoutflourish。
Orgon，awakeningtofindanotherdupeinMadamePernelle，incredulousoftherevelationswhichhaveatlastopenedhisownbesottedeyes，isasceneofthedoubleComic，vivifiedbythespellpreviouslycastonthemind。Therewefeelthepowerofthepoet\'screation;andinthesharplightofthatsuddenturnthehumanityislivelierthananyrealisticworkcanmakeit。
ItalianComedygivesmanyhintsforaTartuffe;buttheymaybefoundinBoccaccio，aswellasinMachiavelli\'sMandragola。TheFrateTimoteoofthispieceisonlyaveryoilyfriar，compliantlyassistinganintriguewithecclesiasticalsophisms（tousethemildestword）forpayment。FrateTimoteohasafineItalianpriestlypose。
DONNA:Credetevoi，che\'lTurcopassiquestoannoinItalia？
F。TIM。:Sevoinonfateorazione，si。
Priestlyarroganceandunctuousness，andtrickeriesandcasuistries，cannotbepaintedwithoutourdiscoveringalikenessinthelongItaliangallery。GoldonisketchedtheVenetianmannersofthedecadenceoftheRepublicwithaFrenchpencil，andwasanItalianScribeinstyle。
TheSpanishstageisricherinsuchComediesasthatwhichfurnishedtheideaoftheMenteurtoCorneille。Butyoumustforceyourselftobelievethatthisliarisnotforcinghisveinwhenhepileslieuponlie。Thereisnoprecedingtouchtowinthemindtocredulity。
SpanishComedyisgenerallyinsharpoutline，asofskeletons;inquickmovement，asofmarionnettes。TheComedymightbeperformedbyatroopofthecorpsdeballet;andintherecollectionofthereadingitresolvestoananimatedshuffleoffeet。Itis，infact，somethingotherthanthetrueideaofComedy。Wherethesexesareseparated，menandwomengrow，asthePortuguesecallit，affaimadosofoneanother，famine—stricken;andallthetragicelementsareonthestage。DonJuanisacomiccharacterthatsendssoulsflying:
nordoesthehumourofthebreakingofadozenwomen\'sheartsconciliatetheComicMusewiththedrawingofblood。
GermanattemptsatComedyremindonevividlyofHeine\'simageofhiscountryinthedancingofAttaTroll。Lessingtriedhishandatit，withasoberingeffectuponreaders。Theintentiontoproducethereverseeffectisjustvisible，andtherein，liketheportlygracesofthepooroldPyreneanBearpoisingandtwirlingonhisrighthind—legandhisleft，consiststhefun。JeanPaulRichtergivesthebesteditionoftheGermanComicinthecontrastofSiebenkaswithhisLenette。AlightoftheComicisinGoethe;enoughtocompletethesplendidfigureoftheman，butnomore。
TheGermanliterarylaugh，likethetimedawakeningsoftheirBarbarossainthehollowsoftheUntersberg，isinfrequent，andrathermonstrous——neveralaughofmenandwomeninconcert。Itcomesofunrefinedabstractfancy，grotesqueorgrim，orgross，likethepeculiarhumoursoftheirlittleearthmen。Spirituallaughtertheyhavenotyetattainedto:sentimentalismwaylaysthemintheflight。HereandthereaVolksliedorMarchenshowsanationalaptitudeforstoutanimallaughter;andweseethattheliteratureisbuiltonit，whichishopefulsofar;buttoenjoyit，toenterintothephilosophyoftheBroadGrin，thatseemstohesitatebetweentheskullandtheembryo，andreachesitsperfectioninbreadthfromthepullingoftwosquarefingersatthecornersofthemouth，onemusthaveaidof\'thegoodRhinewine，\'andbeofGermanbloodunmixedbesides。Thistreble—DutchlumbersomenessoftheComicspiritisofitselfexclusiveoftheideaofComedy，andthepoorvoiceallowedtowomeninGermandomesticlifewillaccountfortheabsenceofcomicdialoguesreflectinguponlifeinthatland。I
shallspeakofitagaininthesecondsectionofthislecture。
EastwardyouhavetotalsilenceofComedyamongapeopleintenselysusceptibletolaughter，astheArabianNightswilltestify。Wheretheveilisoverwomen\'s—faces，youcannothavesociety，withoutwhichthesensesarebarbarousandtheComicspiritisdriventotheguttersofgrossnesstoslakeitsthirst。ArabsinthisrespectareworsethanItalians——muchworsethanGermans;justinthedegreethattheirsystemoftreatingwomenisworse。
M。Saint—MarcGirardin，theexcellentFrenchessayistandmasterofcriticalstyle，tellsofaconversationhehadoncewithanArabgentlemanonthetopicofthedifferentmanagementofthesedifficultcreaturesinOrientandinOccident:andtheArabspokeinpraiseofmanygoodresultsofthegreaterfreedomenjoyedbyWesternladies，andthecharmofconversingwiththem。Hewasquestionedwhyhiscountrymentooknomeasurestograntthemsomethingofthatkindofliberty。Hejumpedoutofhisindividualityinatwinkling，andenteredintothesentimentsofhisrace，replying，fromthepinnacleofasplendidconceit，withaffectedhumilityofmanner:\'YOUcanlookonthemwithoutperturbation——butWE！\'……Andafterthisprofoundlycomicinterjection，headded，indeeptones，\'Theveryfaceofawoman！\'
OurrepresentativeoftemperatenotionsdemurelyconsentedthattheArab\'sprideofinflammabilityshouldinsistonthepruderyoftheveilasthecivilizingmediumofhisrace。
TherehasbeenfuninBagdad。ButthereneverwillbecivilizationwhereComedyisnotpossible;andthatcomesofsomedegreeofsocialequalityofthesexes。IamnotquotingtheArabtoexhortanddisturbthesomnolentEast;ratherforcultivatedwomentorecognizethattheComicMuseisoneoftheirbestfriends。Theyareblindtotheirinterestsinswellingtheranksofthesentimentalists。Letthemlookwiththeirclearestvisionabroadandathome。Theywillseethatwheretheyhavenosocialfreedom，Comedyisabsent:wheretheyarehouseholddrudges，theformofComedyisprimitive:wheretheyaretolerablyindependent，butuncultivated，excitingmelodramatakesitsplaceandasentimentalversionofthem。YettheComicwillout，astheywouldknowiftheylistenedtosomeoftheprivateconversationsofmenwhosemindsareundirectedbytheComicMuse:asthesentimentalman，tohisastonishment，wouldknowlikewise，ifheinsimilarfashioncouldreceivealesson。Butwherewomenareontheroadtoanequalfootingwithmen，inattainmentsandinliberty——inwhattheyhavewonforthemselves，andwhathasbeengrantedthembyafaircivilization——there，andonlywaitingtobetransplantedfromlifetothestage，orthenovel，orthepoem，pureComedyflourishes，andis，asitwouldhelpthemtobe，thesweetestofdiversions，thewisestofdelightfulcompanions。
Now，tolookaboutusinthepresenttime，IthinkitwillbeacknowledgedthatinneglectingthecultivationoftheComicidea，wearelosingtheaidofapowerfulauxiliar。YouseeFollyperpetuallyslidingintonewshapesinasocietypossessedofwealthandleisure，withmanywhims，manystrangeailmentsandstrangedoctors。Plentyofcommon—senseisintheworldtothrustherbackwhenshepretendstoempire。Butthefirst—bornofcommon—sense，thevigilantComic，whichisthegeniusofthoughtfullaughter，whichwouldreadilyextinguishherattheoutset，isnotservingasapublicadvocate。
Youwillhavenoticedthedispositionofcommon—sense，underpressureofsomepertinaciouspieceoflight—headedness，togrowimpatientandangry。Thatisasignoftheabsence，oratleastofthedormancy，oftheComicidea。ForFollyisthenaturalpreyoftheComic，knowntoitinallhertransformations，ineverydisguise;anditiswiththespringingdelightofhawkoverheron，houndafterfox，thatitgivesherchase，neverfretting，nevertiring，sureofhavingher，allowinghernorest。
Contemptisasentimentthatcannotbeentertainedbycomicintelligence。Whatisitbutanexcusetobeidlyminded，orpersonallylofty，orcomfortablynarrow，notperfectlyhumane？IfwedonotfeignwhenwesaythatwedespiseFolly，weshutthebrain。ThereisadisdainfulattitudeinthepresenceofFolly，partakingofthefoolishnesstoComicperception:andangerisnotmuchlessfoolishthandisdain。Thestrugglewehavetoconductisessenceagainstessence。LetnoonedoubtofthesequelwhenthisemanationofwhatisfirmestinusislaunchedtostrikedownthedaughterofUnreasonandSentimentalism:suchbeingFolly\'sparentage，whenitisrespectable。
Ourmodernsystemofcombatingheristoolongdefensive，andcarriedontooploddinglywithconcreteenginesofwarintheattack。Shehastimetogetbehindentrenchments。Sheisreadytostandasiege，beforetheheavilyarmedmanofscienceandthewriteroftheleadingarticleorelaborateessayhaveprimedtheirbigguns。Itshouldberememberedthatshehascharmsforthemultitude;andanEnglishmultitudeseeinghermakeagallantfightofitwillbehalfinlovewithher，certainlywillingtolendheracheer。Benevolentsubscriptionsassisthertohireherownmanofscience，herownorganinthePress。Ifultimatelysheiscastoutandoverthrown，shecanstretchafingeratgapsinourranks。Shecansaythatshecommandedanarmyandseducedmen，whomwethoughtsobermenandsafe，toactasherlieutenants。Welearnrathergloomily，aftershehasflashedherlantern，thatwehaveinourmidstablemenandmenwithmindsforwhomthereisnopole—starinintellectualnavigation。Comedy，ortheComicelement，isthespecificforthepoisonofdelusionwhileFollyispassingfromthestateofvapourtosubstantialform。
OforabreathofAristophanes，Rabelais，Voltaire，Cervantes，Fielding，Moliere！Thesearespiritsthat，ifyouknowthemwell，willcomewhenyoudocall。Youwillfindtheveryinvocationofthemactonyoulikearenovatingair——theSouth—westcomingoffthesea，oracryintheAlps。
Noonewouldpresumetosaythatwearedeficientinjokers。Theyabound，andtheorganisationdirectingtheirmachinerytoshoottheminthewakeoftheleadingarticleandthepopularsentimentisgood。
ButtheComicdiffersfromtheminaddressingthewitsforlaughter;
andthesluggishwitswantsometrainingtorespondtoit，whetherinpubliclifeorprivate，andparticularlywhenthefeelingsareexcited。
ThesenseoftheComicismuchbluntedbyhabitsofpunningandofusinghumouristicphrase:thetrickofemployingJohnsonianpolysyllablestotreatoftheinfinitelylittle。Anditreallymaybehumorous，ofakind，yetitwillmissthepointbygoingtoomuchroundaboutit。
AcertainFrenchDukePasquierdied，someyearsback，ataveryadvancedage。HehadbeenthevenerableDukePasquierinhislateryearsuptotheperiodofhisdeath。TherewasareportofDukePasquierthathewasamanofprofoundegoism。Henceanargumentarose，andwaswarmlysustained，upontheexcessiveselfishnessofthosewho，inaworldoftroubles，andcallstoaction，andinnumerableduties，husbandtheirstrengthforthesakeoflivingon。Canitbepossible，theargumentran，foratrulygeneroushearttocontinuebeatinguptotheageofahundred？DukePasquierwasnotwithouthisdefenders，wholikenedhimtotheoakoftheforest——avenerablecomparison。
Theargumentwasconductedonbothsideswithspiritandearnestness，lightenedhereandtherebyfriskytouchesofthepolysyllabicplayful，remindingoneoftheseriouspursuitoftheirfunbytruantboys，thatareassuredtheyareoutoftheeyeoftheirmaster，andnowandthenindulgeinanimitationofhim。AndwellmightitbesupposedthattheComicideawasasleep，notoverlookingthem！Itresolvedatlasttothis，thateitherDukePasquierwasascandalonourhumanityinclingingtolifesolong，orthathehonoureditbysosturdyaresistancetotheenemy。Asonewhohasentangledhimselfinalabyrinthisgladtogetoutagainattheentrance，theargumentranabouttoconcludewithitscommencement。