count be loft to the ftage. Polonius's obfervations to Ophelia are prudent and defcriptive of paternal affection.

The remarks of Hamlet and his friends, when enfered upon the platform, are very politically thrown by the author upon a far different fubject from what has brought them there; and with the intervention of a flourish of martial mufic ufher in the Ghoft with as much or more effect, than at his first appearance.

The prince's addrefs begins with becoming awe, yet I apprehend rifes too fuddenly into expreffions ill applied to the venerable, well-known, beloved figure then before him; terror does indeed confound reafon, but feldom gives birth to a paffionate, prefumptive effufion; wherefore I must be hardy enough to offer an objection against the following lines, as to their import;

Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd,
Be thy intents wicked, or charitable.

Nor can I by any means acquiefce in opinion, that a heart so fluttered and affected as Hamlet's is, could possibly dictate multiplied images; most cer+ tainly we discover much more of the poet and fancy than fuitable feeling in

tell

Why thy bones hearfed in canonized earth,
Have burft their fearments? Why the fepulchre
Wherein we saw thee quietly interr'd,

Hath op'd its ponderous and marble jaws,
To caft thee up again?

VOL. I.

D

Befides,

Befides, in the ftrictnefs of obfervation, it is worthy notice, that Hamlet in one line calls the appearance in view, a Spirit, and immediately materializes him, by mentioning the corporeal appurtenance of bones; the conclufion of this fcene is admirably compofed of broken fentences; terror, paffion and affumed resolution.

In the fucceeding scene, a narration of a very affecting nature is delivered by the Ghost, in language worthy that inimitable author, who created characters from the force of imagination, and, from the fanie inexhaustible fource, furnished a peculiar mode of expreffion for each.

The Roman catholic opinion of purgatory is inculcated through the whole of this interview; and funeral rites, or preparatives thereto, particularly mentioned in this line,

Unhoufel'd, unanointed, unaneal'd.

But whether Shakespeare may thence be deemed a favourer of popish principles, remains a matter of much doubt; and the determination, could we come at it, would be of no confequence to our prefent purpose; however, let the religious bent be what it may, we must admit the Ghost's stimulation to revenge, furnishes a very grofs idea of immortality, which should be freed from the paffions and remembrances of clay; nor does the palliative distinction which forbids any violence against the Queen, take off the imputation of mortal frailty, hang ng about an exiftençe merely fpiritual; an abrupt departure, and those beautiful lines with which the Ghost disappears, are a very happy conclusion to

the

the scene, which spun out to a greater length would have loft much of its force and beauty.

Hamlet's enfuing foliloquy is very natural, and highly expreffive of the impreffions left upon him; his conversation with Horatio and Marcellus is judiciously evafive: for the circumftance juft learned of his father's death, does not admit in policy of communication; and if it did, a repetition would pall the audience: however, tho' this fcene altogether has the merit of pleafing propriety, I can by no means, unless Hamlet bere affumes his frenzy, commend the light expreffions to his father's fhade -Truepenny-working in the cellarage-old moleworthy pioneer-efpecially as he is calling upon his friends, in a moft folemn, fenfible, manner, for a promise of secrecy.

Thus ends the firft act; which is fo full of bufinefs, and that of fo important a nature, that perhaps no author but Shakespeare could have produced any thing after, relative to the fame story, worthy of attention; yet what follows fhews us the poffibility and executive power.

Polonius commences the second act with Ophelia, who, in a very picturesque manner, makes her father and the audience acquainted withe the prince's diftraction; which the fly old ftatefman, imputing to Hamlet's paffion for his daughter, determines to avail himself of with the King; as appears by his reading a letter and commenting upon it in the next fcene; which, with the Queen's admitting love as a probable cause of her fon's phrenzy, determines them to feel his inclination upon that point: Polo

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nius, like a busy, useful courtier, undertakes this, and encounters Hamlet, whofe pretence of not knowing him, occafions much pointed fatire, and several agreeable repartees; from whence, Polonius, not being able to deduce any thing ufeful, retires, and makes way for two other court-fpies, who, under a veil of friendship, endeavour to worm out the fecret; but he evades their defign in a different and more masterly manner; there could not be a more pregnant, rich and philofophical differtation upon the mode of his own mind, and the excellence of human nature, than the following elegant piece of poetical profe delivered by Hamlet.

"I have of late, but wherefore I know not loft all mirth; foregone all cuftom of exercise, and indeed "it goes fo heavily with my difpofition; that this

goodly frame the earth, feems to me a fteril pro"montary; this most excellent canopy the air, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire; why it ap-. pears to me nothing but a foul and peftilental congregation of vapours: What a piece of work is "man? how noble in reafon! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving how exprefs and "admirable! in action how like an angel! in ap

prehenfion how like a God! the beauty of the "world the Paragon of animals !!

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In the foregoing paffage we have as concife and beautiful a delineation of human nature as thought can conceive or words exprefs; and the immediate tranfition to mention of the players, who, though feemingly intruders are material agents for the plot, is excellently contrived by the author; fince Hamlet,

as we may justly fuppofe from his proceedings, immediately suggests that use for the Actors in their profeffion, which soon after he makes of them.

When Polonius enters to tell him of the comedians, the Prince again assumes his ftile of equivocal repartee, and indeed is pleasingly witty with the verbose old statesman; his welcome to the Players is well adapted to themode of behaviour he has put on; but his hint to the lady of her voice "like a piece of uncurrent gold being cracked in the ring," is not commendably delicate: requiring a tafte of their quality, and making a mistake in the first line of that paffage he points out respecting Pyrrhus, are pleafing and natural circumstances, though of the minute kind.

From the imagery of thofe fpeeches which the Player repeats, it appears plainly that they, and the scene in the third act are not only intended as preparatory means to convict the King of guilt, but are alfo meant to realize the characters of the main action; therefore the matter, manner, and action are evidently propofed as a contrast of fiction, to what it is neceffary the audience should think truth. There is no fentiment in the whole character of Hamlet, nor indeed any other more worthy a good heart and great mind, than his reply to Polonius ; who fays, he will use the Players as they deserve." "Much better-ufe every man according to his "deferts, and who fhall 'scape whipping? Use them "after your own honour and dignity; the lefs they "deferve, the more merit is in your bounty."

At