Note 445 — LECTURE XXVI, &c. Of Tragedy.

Those Tragedies that are writ according to the nicest Rules of Art, he said before, upon the Authority of Aristotle, do NOT end happily: And upon the same Authority he says, in such Plays the Characters are neither extremely wicked, nor perfectly virtuous. Aristotle, as a Heathen, was right in his Opinion, according to Dr. Trapp's Theory; Vossius, who follows him throughout, is not inconsistent. As to the Opinion in general, I will not pretend to determine, since it is dignus vindice nodus.