"The Acharnians."

The first performance in America of a Greek comedy was given on Friday evening of last week by the students of the University of Pennsylvania. Lack of space prevents our publishing a synopsis of the play, but the following short criticism and description of scenery is taken from the N. Y. Times.

"The Acharnians" of Aristophanes was first acted in the year 425 B. C., in the suburbs of Athens, to celebrate the Lenaea, or winter feast of Dionysus. Although like most of the old comedies of the Greeks, it is plotless, and much of its humor and satire belong exclusively to the Athens of Pericles, the choice of this comedy for representation by the students was wisely made. It is an excellent example of the poet's liveliest style, and the text is pure and comparatively easy to master. The stage was set very prettily, and in accordance with Greek traditions. The front was the "Orchestra," with a white marble altar or thymele, where the prompter's box is in the opera. Back of this, the "proscenium" or regular stage of the Greeks, was elevated four feet, with marble steps leading to the "orchestra." The back scene had the three doors required in all Greek plays, the buildings being of yellowish marble, shaded and stained with age. Above the roofs of the houses rose the storied Acropolis. All the conventional rules were observed. Characters coming from the city entered on the left hand side. Those coming from other places entered at the right. The use of action as well as declamation, however, was a departure from ancient customs which made the play interesting."

There was a large delegation from Harvard present, including Prof. Clement L. Smith, Dean of the college, Profs. W. W. Goodwin, John W. White, Charles Eliot Norton, Benjamin O. Peirce and Louis Dyer.