Leaving his body as a paradife ; King Henry V. His Perfections. Hear him but reafon in divinity, And, all-admiring, with an inward wish, And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, ac lefs fource of true knowledge and fublimity: this Mr. Upton has judiciously obferved, who remarks on this paffage, that "< cording to the fcripture-expreffion, the old Adam, or the old Man, radaros avłęwπ05, fignifies man in his unregenerated, or gentile ftate and the new man, is man in his regenerated and chriftian ftate. See Rom. vi. 6. Ephef. iv. 22. Coloff. iii. 9," (3) Hear him, &c.] I have purpofely avoided any historical remarks, or characters of perfons in this work, as it would fwell it much beyond the intended compafs: however, the English reader will find no fmall fatisfaction in comparing the historical plays of Shakespear with the genuin hiftory, and more particularly if he is happy enough to read that fine hiftory of England, which doth honour to the nation, and is fuperior to all the encomiums I can give it, compil'd by Mr. Guthrie, to whom our author likewife is particularly obliged for his judiious and incomparable Effay on Tragedy. SCENE SCENE II. The Common-wealth of Becs. Where fome, like magistrates, correct at home : (4) So, &c.] That Shakespear, in this place, really and defignedly imitated Virgil, and took the chief hints from him, I cannot but believe; however, it would be endless to quote from Virgil, and other authors, the many paffages fimilar to it: the fubject of Virgil's 4th Georgic, and the agreeable manner in which he treats it, is known to almost every one, that reads; I fhall only quote a few lines from Dr. Trap's tranflation, and refer those who defire to fee more, to the original. See verse 180. Of all the mute creation, these alone A public-weal and common int'reft know, And, for their country's good, preferve their store. With curious architecture build their cells; Their legs, with thyme full-laden, &c. It is worth remarking how much Shakespear makes any thing his own, and how truly an original, his judicious manner renders that which is really an imitation. Vanier; in his Prædium Ruficum, hath many pretty and new things on this fubjet, in that book, where he treats of Bees. * Ruling, Wa:b. vulg. Rule in. VOL. II. C Others Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad: The finging mason, building roofs of gold; ACT II. SCENEI. Warlike Spirit. (5) Now all the youth of England are in arms, (5) Now, &c.] See the beginning of Richard the third; I know not a finer image in all Shakespear, than that of expectation in the fubfequent lines: Milton too has made a perfon of expectation in the 6th book, and ver. 306. of Paradife Loft; but though truly fublime, he muft fubmit very much to our daring and admirable poet. Two broad funs, their fhields, Blaz'd oppofite, while Expectation stood In horror. Mr. Warburton obferves of the paffage in the text, that "Expectation fitting in the air, defigns the height of their ambition and the fword, hid from the hilt to the point with crowns and coronets, that all lentiments of danger were loft in the thoughts of glory." For For now fits expectation in the air, And hides a fword from hilts unto the point, ENGLAND. *O England! model to thy inward greatness, Like little body with a mighty heart, What might'st thou do, that honour would thee do,' But fee, thy fault France hath in thee found out z SCENE II. Falfe. Appearances. Oh! how thou haft with jealousy infected The sweetness of affiance! fhew men dutiful? Why fo didft thou or feem they grave and learned? Why fo didst thou: come they of noble family? Why fo didit thou: seem they religious ? Why fo didft thou: or are they fpare in diet, Free from grofs paffion, or of mirth, or anger. Conftant in fpirit, not fwerving with the blood, Garnish'd and deck'd in modest compliment, (6) Not working with the eye without the ear, And but in purged judgment trufting neither? Such, and fo finely boulted didst thou feem. And thus thy fall hath left a kind of blot: *0, &c.] See the laft paffage in king John. (6) Not, &c. i. e. not trufting to either, eye or ear only, but ufing both on every occafion, and trufting neither but in purged judgment, with well-weigh'd deliberation. Mr. Warburton's emendation, which is adopted by Mr. Theobald, needs only be mentioned to fhew it is not Shakespear's, Not working with the car, but with the eye. To mark the full-fraught man, the best endu'd, ACT III. SCENE I. The well-appointed king at Hampton-pier Draw the huge bottoms through the furrow'd fea,q në Breafting the lofty furge! post a granom NT ACT IV. SCENE I. Defcription of Night in a Camp. From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, The hum of either army ftilly founds; That the fixt centinels almost receive The fecret whispers of each cthers watch. Fire answers fire; and through their paly flames Steed threatens Steed, in high and boastful neighs, (7) Suppofe, &c. On this fubject we might reasonably expect Shakespear fhould ftand unrivalled by the writers of every other country, as here his country juftly boats herself unrivalled. Milton in Sampfon Agonifies, fays beautifully enough of Dalila, the Like a stately fhip, Proud of her gawdy trim, comes this way failing, Sails fill d ́and ftreamers waving, Courted by all the winds that hold them play. neurs l'ho tak sdl" aro Ear Piercing |