Henry's character is compofed of pathetic dignity; in representation it should be ftudiously remembered, that his griefs, tho' a diftreffed king and father, should not be blubbered like thofe of a schoolboy; but should paint feelings worthy the monarch and the man-The part is admirably drawn, and highly finished, yet cannot I remember any performer doing it tolerable juftice, except Mr. DIGGES; who is now, I believe, retired from the ftage. Richmond requires little more than a good figure, free deportment, with fmooth, fpirited expreffion; yet our theatres have not often filled it with ability the late Mr. PALMER, tho' no tragedian, came nearest the idea I can form of it. The Queen, tho' not wrought up to the pitch her circumftances feem to admit, is a character of much refpect and attention; Mrs. PRITCHARD did more for it in action, than the Author in writing; it is now given to fecond and third rates, for what reafon is hard to fay, as there never was, nor perhaps ever will be, an actress of higher estimation, than the lady juft named: what she did not think beneath her is certainly equal to any exifting merit, and the public have an undoubted right to expect capital performance, wherever it can be introduced; nor fhould the ridiculous word, confequence, deter managers from fulfilling the point of duty. The fentiments and verfification of this tragedy are rather familiarly-nervous, than flowing and affluent; however, the language all through is uniformly characteristic, unless we object to a perfon in in Henry's fituation ftepping afide to the allufions of frofty Cauçafus and December fnoto. Since it is trefpaffing upon probability and nature, to make a character deeply diftreffed or torn with paffion vent poetical fimilitudes; for which reafon alfo we muft condemn thofe lines, in the laft fpeech of the fourth act, tho' the thought is really fine, that Ipeak of the fever-worn wretch: they are genenerally omitted, but more, I believe, to relieve the actor's utterance, than from any idea of impropriety. Upon the whole, RICHARD appears much better calculated for representation than perufal, as indeed every bustling piece muft be; however, taste and judgement will not by any means hold it light in the clofet. НАМ HAMLET. Written by Mr. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. THE opening of this tragedy is extremely well devised; the time of night, the place, the characters, and what they fpeak, all moft naturally concur to raise an awful preparatory apprehenfion for the appearance of that fupernatural agent on, whom the main action totally depends; and indeed, so artfully has Shakespeare wrought upon his great patronefs, nature; fo powerfully does he engage our paffions upon this occafion; that even those who laugh at the idea of ghofts, as old womens' tales, cannot avoid lending an eye and ear of ferious. attention to this of Hamlet's father. Introducing him previously to fome of the inferior characters, brings him with double force upon the principal one; and Horatio's determining to acquaint the prince with fe, ftrange and alarming a circumftance is very natural. The fingularity of Hamlet's appearance as a mourner, when all the reft of the court are in a ftate of feftivity and congratulation, raises our idea. of his filial affection and concern; his indifferent, contemptuous replies to the King, and his catching fo eagerly at the word feems, ufed by his mother, are a happy commencement of his character. Laertes's foliciting leave to travel feems merely calculated 3 " culated to keep him out of the way, and to learn fencing against the fifth act. The first foliloquy of Hamlet is particularly ftriking and effential, as it lays open in a pathetic, beautiful manner, the caufe of his melancholy, and paints his mother's frailty with ftrong feeling, yet preferves a delicate respect. The scene which introduces Horatio, &c. to communicate the circumftance of the preceding night fucceeds naturally; and the broken mode of converfation, in lines and half-lines, is fo artfully contrived, is executed in fo masterly a maner, that the fpectators, tho' they previously know the fubject, are yet agreeably lured on to hear it related, and thoroughly fympathize in the tranfitions of Hamlet; whofe interrogations concerning the awful ambaffador of heaven are fuch, as give us a ftronger feeling of the Ghoft than even his appearance does; on the prince's determination to watch, notwithstanding his violent agitation, he might have used a phrafe lefs cenfurable than the following, I'll speak to it, tho' hell itself fhould gape, And bid me hold my peace. Laertes's fhort advice to Ophelia is pregnant with affection and good fenfe; as Polonius is introduced to haften his fon on board, I could wish thofe excellent maxims for youth in the firft fcene of the fecond act, and which are always omitted in reprefentation, were tranfpofed to this place, and given perfonally by the father to his fon : fuch a treasure of ufeful inftruction fhould upon no account, count be loft to the stage. Polonius's obfervations to Ophelia are prudent and defcriptive of paternal affection. The remarks of Hamlet and his friends, when entered upon the platform, are very politically thrown by the author upon a far different subject from what has brought them there; and with the intervention of a flourish of martial mufic usher in the Ghost 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 reason, but feldom gives birth to a passionate, prefumptive effufion; wherefore I must be hardy enough to offer an objection against the following lines, as to their import; Be thou a fpirit of health, or goblin damn'd, Nor can I by any means acquiefce in opinion, that a heart fo fluttered and affected as Hamlet's is, could poffibly dictate multiplied images; most certainly we discover much more of the poet and fancy than fuitable feeling in tell Why thy bones hearfed in canonized earth, Wherein we saw thee quietly interr'd, Hath op'd its ponderous and marble jaws, VOL. I. D Befides, |