and features which compose the human form. He first had the skill to give it gesture, attitude, the easy graces of real life, and to exhibit its powers in a variety of exertions.

We shallagain see Northumberland timid and wavering, forward in conspiracy, yet hesitating to join in an action of doubtful issue.

King Henry is as prudent a politician on his death-bed, as at council; his eye, just before it closed for ever, stretching itself beyond the hour of death, to the view of those dangers, which from the temper of the Prince of Wales, and the condition of the times, threatened his throne and family. I cannot help taking notice of the remarkable attention of the poet, to the cautious and politic temper of Henry, when he makes him, even in speaking to his friends and partisans, dissemble so far, in relating Richard's prophecy, that Northumberland,

who

who helped him to the throne, would one day revolt from him, as to add,

.

Though then, Heaven knows, I had no such in.

tent;

But that necessity so bow'd the state,
That I and Greatness were compellid to kiss.

To his successor he expresses himself very differently, when he says,

Heaven knows, my son,
By what by-paths and indirect crook'd ways
I met this crown.

These delicacies of conduct lie hardly within the poet's province, but have their source in that great and universal capacity, which the attentive reader will find to belong to our author, beyond any other writer. He alone, perhaps, would have perceived the decorum and fitness of making so wise a man reserved even with his friends, and trust a confession of the iniquities, by which he

$

obtained the crown, only to his successor, whose interest it was not to disgrace whatever could authorize his attainment of it. Let tragedy-writers who make princes prate with pages and waiting-women of their murders and treasons, learn for once, froni rude and illiterate Shakspeare, how averse pride is coolly to confess, and prudence to betray, what the fever and deliriums of ambition have prompted us to do.

Falstaffe appears with his former dispositions, but in new situations: and entertains us in a variety of scenes.

Hotspur is as it were revived to the spectator, in the following character given of him by his lady, when she dissuades Northumberland from joining the forces of the Archbishop

Threw many a northward look, to see his father
Bring up his pow'rs; but he did long in vain !
Who then persuaded you to stay at home?
There were two honours lost; yours and your son's:
For yours, may heavenly glory brighten it!
For his, it struck

upon

him as the sun
In the grey vault of heav'n; and by his light
Did all the chivalry of England move
To do brave acts. He was indeed the glass,
Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves.
He had no legs, that practis'd not his gait;
And speaking thick, which nature made his blemish,
Became the accents of the valiant ;
For those, that could speak low and tardily,
Would turn their own perfection to abuse,
To seem like him: so that in speech, in gait,
In diet, in affections of delight,
In military rules, humours of blood,
He was the mark and glass, copy and book,
That fashion'd others. And him, wond'rous him!
O O miracle of men! him did you leave
To look upon

the hideous god of war
In disadvantage; to abide a field
Where nothing but the sound of Hotspur's name
Did seem defensible. So you left him.

Never,

a

Never, 0, never do his ghost the wrong,
To hold your honour more precise and nice
With others, than with him. Let them alone:
The marshal and the archbishop are strong i
Had my sweet Harry had but half their numbers,
To-day might I (hanging on Hotspur's neck)
Have talk'd of Monmouth's

grave.

Justice Shallow is an admirably well. drawn comic character, but he never appears better, than by reflection in the mirror of Falstaffe's wit, in whose descriptions he is most strongly exhibited. It is said by some, that the Justice was meant for a particular gentleman, who had prosecuted the author for deer-stealing. I know not whether that story be well grounded. The Shallows are to be found every where, in every age; but they who have least character of their own, are most formed and modified by the fashion of the times, and by their peculiar profession or calling. So, though we often meet with a resemblance to this Justice, we shall never find an exact parallel to him, now when manners are so much changed.—History or

H2

Philosophy

2800 GA