Corneille purified both thought and language of the bad taste due to
the prevailing Spanish influence. He subordinated the actor to the
play, instead of composing, as his predecessors had done, lengthy
monologues for mere histrionic display. He did away with absurdly
tangled plots, and focussed the interest of tragedy on character.
Tragedy thus purified, he made immortal by the strength and elevation
of his moral teaching. His principal plays are _Le Cid_ (1636),
_Cinna_ (1639), _Polyeucte_ (1640).

The new tragedy shaped by Corneille, Racine carried to its highest
perfection of form. Nothing in his plays betokens struggle,
innovation, or effort. His is the polished finish of ease and
ripeness. Subtle delineation of the passions, profound tenderness,
faultlessness of style and expression, distinguish him above all
others. Yet this very perfection of form robs him of some of the
rough, wholesome vigor, which makes Corneille's plays the most healthy
reading in the French language. Corneille speaks by the mouths of
heroes, Racine speaks by the mouths of men.

Voltaire is only to be placed by their side for the extraordinary
skill, amounting to genius, with which he followed in their footsteps.
We must not look to him for new departures, nor indeed for the lofty
authority of the one, or the harmonious richness of the other. Yet in
each particular he succeeds, by the force of art, in getting within
measurable distance of his models: his _Zaïre_ (1733) and _Mérope_
(1743) would hardly have been disowned by either.

After Voltaire, new times demanded new methods. The nineteenth century
reacted against the portraiture of character alone, and required more
complete representation of the action; it called for deeds enacted on