America, will see the necessity of thinking twice before using the
term at all. Some of the more general considerations to be kept in
view, when a careful and properly educated critic feels justified
in using the word "construction," may be jotted down as follows:

I. The actual strength of the main incident of a play.

II. Relative strength of the main incident, in reference to the
importance of the subject; and also to the length of the play.

III. Adequacy of the story in relation to the importance and
dignity of the main incident and of the subject.

IV. Adequacy of the original motives on which the rest of the play
depends.

V. Logical sequence of events by which the main incident is
reached.

VI. Logical results of the story after the main incident is passed.

VII. The choice of the characters by which the sequence of events
is developed.

VIII. Logical, otherwise natural, use of motives in these
particular characters, in leading from one incident to another.

IX. The use of such human emotions and passions as are universally
recognized as true, without those special explanations which
belong to general fiction and not to the stage.