In all ages the theatrical art had kept pace with the improvement of mankind, and with the progress of letters and the fine arts.

As man has advanced from the ruder stages of society, the love of dramatic representations has increased, and all works of this nature have keen improved in character and in structure.

They had only to turn their eyes to the history of ancient Greece, although he did not pretend to be very deeply versed in its ancient drama.

Its first tragic poet commanded a body of troops at the battle of Marathon.

Sophocles and Euripides were men of rank in Athens when Athens was in its highest renown.