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THE
DRAMATIC CENSOR*
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THE
DRAMATIC CENSOR5
OR,
CRITICAL COMPANION.
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Si quid novifti lediiis iftis> Candidus imperd : finoD^ Ims utore mecunu
VOLUME THE FIRST.
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LONDON:
frinted for J. B S L L, near Exeter-Exebange^ in the Strand^ andCETHERINGTON, at York.
MDCCLXX.
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THE KEW YOK
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PUB^^C TJBBARY
661816A
a^: :0 \ lenox and tii.d.:n fO" idat^Ons
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UNKNOWN,
And wiihing peribnally to remain fo^
The DRAMATIC CENSOR,
As a mark of per f eft efteem,
'^nd a natural tribute to the mofl; powerful, utiiverlal abilities that ever graced the Englifli ftage.
Thus dedicates.
On mofl: dilinterefl:ed principles.
His Firft Volume of Critical Obfcrvations,
TO
David Garrick, Efq;
r~ v ♦ . ■
ADVERTISEMENT
A.
S mvft writers^ l^ih for and tx^amfi iie /bge^ baoe ^Uber dealt cut entbufiaftk itiufi tar fulfm»e fa^ megerics^ the obvious utility of an imfariidmedimm ke^ iween fiicb extremes Jirfi fyggefied Jbe foncmug work : m man^ wbo is not titber tgad^orj^fy^ earn be hardjf enougb to deny^ tbat a weU-regulated drama is worthy fuppori in the moft poUfljed^ learned w im* rai fiate ; nor^ on tbe other Jide^ tan we contend im favour of many eftablijbed pieces % humour has iee» too often made the fubtle conveyance of very licentious JentimentJ^ and many pernicious cbarailers are placed in too fair a point of view ; to deveUpe vice from this poetical mafquerade ; to firip off the JerpenCs fiimng ioat^ and to fbew tbe poifon wbicb lurks within^ is the Dramatic Censor' j leading principle i to point out^ in a plain manner j and unadorned flik^ the beau^ ties and defeSs of each piece ; to tbrow out bints re- fpeSing tbe performance of every char alter worth »a- tice ; and to give a concife general idea of the plays taken into confideration^ tbe fcope of bis defign.
Far from glancing an eye towards infaUibity of • opinion^ the following ftriSures and illuftrations an fubmitted with all due deference to the public^ as meant for ufeful information ; bow far tbey anfwer this defireable purpofe^ candid readers on perufal muft determine.
The
ADVERTISEMENT.
The Dramatic Censor will gratefully receive^ arid refpedfully ufe any remarks fuitable to his plaD, he may be favoured with^ by letter 4^reAed to the care of Mr. £V//, publifher of this work, near Esceter- Exchange^ Strand.
THE
m
THE
DRAMATIC CENSOR.
RICHARD THE tlllRD.
As altered from Shakespeare by Gibber.
V^RITICISM is undoubtedly the moft elaborate and ungracious of all literary compoH- trons : paQlng cenfure muft ever be painful to a liberal mind, and has no palliation, ho balancing pleafure but contrafted praife ; however, the ge« neral advantages arifing from candid inveftiga- tion, equally feparated from partial indulgence or malevolent fcverity, dcfervc fome degree of honed approbation, and ftrengthen the feelings to undertake with becoming refolution fo hdzard* ous a ta{k«
Dramatic compofitions are of a nature too nice and complicate, for all admirers of the (lage to confider with that attentioQ which is neceflTary CO underftand them properly j hence much o^
Vot. !• B the
4 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
the true relifh and folid improvement derivabte'^ from the iii is loft, and often changes the theatre* from what it literally may be, a profiuble fchool of moral inftrudion, to the fphere of ufelefs or prejudicial diflfipation.
This confideration has given rife, to the fol* lowing work, in which the various opinions are diffidently fubmitted to, not dogmatically ob< truded upon our' feveral readers ; where we (Irike out neW and ufeful lights, we doubt not being allowed fonie credit for them ; where we appear fallible, indulgence is hoped for ; fince however we may err in the extenfive fcenc before us, our warmeft wilhes are to be right. •
The hallowed flirine of Shakefpeare every friend of intrinfic merit muft approach with re- verence ; yet why, amidft the meridian blaze of fiis brightnefs, (hould we decline difcovering and pointing out thofe dark fpots which his ge- nius (hares in common with the fun ; Implicit admiration, as well as implicit faith, argues a narrownefs or fycophancy of mind, which we hope ourfelves free from ; and fhall as much as poflible follow that excellent maxim, to extenuate nothings nor to fet down aught in malice.
To purfue all the nice and intricate diftindicns of claflical criticifm, would occafion prolixity ; appeal only to the judments of learned readers, and therefore be totally incompatible with our ^efign \ which is merely to try each drama as
Tlic DRAMATIC CENSOR. f
*pifture of' nature at the bar of nature ; and the manners of tbofe nations where the fcene of each is laid.
Well knowing how infipid prefiitory matter generally is, thus much only is offer^ by way of Introdudion ; and we hope the candid reader will from hence fugged Whatever elfe mfty feem cflential.
Of all thofe various fubjefts which have en^ gaged the Tragic Mufe, none are of equal force and dignity to hiftoriCal ones v from a multiplicity of great and interefting cVentS, they roufe and command more paHions than any other ; of this Shakefpsaire Wasf a moft com- petent judge, and happily availed himfelf ; I fay happily, becaufe he not bnly thereby gained a wide fruitful field for the exertion of his amaz- ing talents ; but in a political fenfe did honour to his country, by delivering faithfully manjr memorable events, in a much niofe ftriking manner than any hiftorian could polTibly do ; he has alfo thereby indulged that commendable na* tional vanhy which makes Bt-itons fond of fee- ing Britons diflingui(hed on the theatre of life.
Richari> THi; thir£>, as afted, tho'effen- tially Shakefpeare's, is much indebted for its variety, compaflnefs and fpirit, to the late Colley Cibbcf, whofe thorough acquaintance " with the Stage, • well qualified him for regulat- ing a plot, and arranging pf fcenes, which is
B 2 * indeed
^
4 The DRAkATIC CENSOR.
Indeed ^ inore thap a kind of draunatic mecha^ mfm, yet iodifpenfibly requifite*
The laureat has been blamed for mutilating <^her pl^ys of beaotii^; podges to enrich this j^ ^ut, tho* I admit it to be literary depradation» I jpuft rather vindicate than cenfure hiih ; there is little, if any dilhonefty in ftealing jewels merely to ornament the juft owner ^ befides it (hews what Gibber was never accufed of, naodefty, — by avpidin^- ftudio.u0y the iofertioo of his own in* adequate ftyfF.
Thi$ play opens with well-imagined pro- priety, as a plain, fioiple introduction is the beft preparative to a focceflion and climax of inte- reding events ; expectation ftrained. at the be- ginning Qioil commonly produces a faint unaf^ fefting cat^ropjie y the previous character of Henry, and the mpde of his introduction, pre« judi^e us in bis favpur; bis philofophical re- flections are (uitabk^ to his depre0ed fituation^ z^ well as bis, t^rn of mind ; apd Trefrel's pa- thetic narration not only ferves to caife our ten^ dereft cQ^cerp for an unhappy king and father^ by^ prepares us with great judgment for what we (n^ expeCt to 0nd in Glolt^^r, which de- fcription naturally arifing out of the cir- cun)ftanpe, has far greater merit than thofe lugged in headlong merely for fake of expl%- Dation.
Notwithftanding fome good critics have con- demned foliloquies in general a$ unnaturaU yet
wc^
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. |
t
muft venture to contend for their propriety ) fioce nothing is commoner than for people ia private life, warmly poflefled of any fubjeft, to iaik as if in converfacion, tho' alone: in this light, Glofter is very jqilty brought to view, and I doubt if 1^ aay other means fo ftriking and copious a pidlure could hav« been given of his ixrhole heart in a fkft appearance ; nor could any other character have given fo happy a de* Mneation of him as he does of himlelf.
The firft a^ concludes properly with putting a period to Henry's life, which indeed could noc have been prefer ved any longer with fuitaUe im* portance ; ^ and Richard gives an extended idea of bis ambitious remoFfele& principles ia a very
chara&ertftic foliloquy.
The fliort fcene, with which the fecoad a^
l^^ins is a juft preparation for the funeral of Henry i and tiiofe obfequies being partly fhewt^
keep the unfortuoate monarch in our remem- brance till more buftling events fuperfede him ; Lady Ann's introdudion is aflTedting, but h^r yieldiag to him whole blinds are dill r^ with the blood pf her huiband aod father ; i vn- decs her future misfortunes rather juft puoilhr ment than motives for pity ^ however, the fcene is wrought up in a very mallerly manner ; and ii» the performance gives fcope for capital aAing ; ^he concluding part of this ad introduces thf duke of Buckingham, the Queen-dowager, and acquaints us with king Edward's death; Ri- chard
$ The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
chard alfo unveils part of his: defign refative to prince Edward^ wbofe approach and deitinatiori CO the cower he announces.
The young King and his brother^ the duke of York, make a moft pleafing appearance 19 the firii fcene of the. third aft; chat folid good fenfe difcoverable in, ope, and the (hrewd, pregnant fimplicicy of the other, are admirably ftruck oSi after: their departure for the tpv^er, Richard'^ ear-r neft difclofiire of his viewi to Bqckidghao) opens a wider field for expe6tatiod i ap^ his, method of feicuring his cou0n to his intereit ihews Glofter ;ui able politicUn, fit. to avail himfelf of Buck* kjngham's weal;:, venal difpofitipn. :
Lady. Ann^s treataient in the. fudce^diog fcene manifefts her hufband's brutality more ftrongly ^ jrer, as I have already hinted, feems no more than a juft confequence of that unpardonable vanity «rhich led her into fuchan unnatural connection.
Buckingham's illuftration of the method uied by him to work on the citizens, and his treat- ment of them when they enter, (how him verfcd in court chicanery; particularly throwing in a remark, *tis hard — J be mayor Jbould lofe bis tii le wiib bis office. Richard's bypocrify is here painted in a capital manner i and is mod adini* irably affiftcd by the aflbnied paffion of his cou- Cn on one fide, with the lycophantic credulity '«f the citizens oh the other; his rcluftance and their . perfuafions, like well-adapted lights and Aadcs, engage and pleafe the attention s which 4 is
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 7
is well varied by Richard's fudden tranfition to a ftate of ambidous exultation, and from thence to a ftruggle with confcience, which appears to lodge a conftant thorp in bis bread.
In the beginning of the fourth a£):, our fiseU lings are turned upon objeds of real ftrong pity ; cur tears which l^ave ceafed fince the firft, are here called forth again judicioudy in behalf of an unhappy mother and her helpiefs infants ^ the charader^ introduced to furnilh frelh matter for concern are well brought forward, and the Queen's grief is wrought up in an aflfcfting manner ; however, I mud be of opinion, that the fcene is not near fo interelling as it might have been made ; that lady Ann and the dutchefs of York are here mere non-eflentials, that the chil- dren do not aflfed us as they ought, and that all the Queen's fpeeches, except the lafl: three, are far too unimportant for her heart-rending fitua- tion.
Richard, now difcovered as King, works up- on Buckingham, by diftant inGnuation, to tffcGt bis main purpofe, that of deftroying the chil* dren ; his cautious earneftnefs, and the duke's confciencious diffidence, arc extremely well con- traded ; the King's impatience at Buckingham's coldnefs, his indifference at the news brought by lord Sranley, his enquiry after, and remarks on bis wife Ann, with his fubfequent contemptuous treatment of his lukewarm coulin, exhibit great and madcrly di verification of adion.
The
S The DRAMATIC CENSOk.
The fcchc between Tirrel, DIghton and Foreft) (hould fdr two reafons havd been made longer ; firfl to hare raifed our pit/ morc« even by the immediate murderers ; next, to have given Richard more time for his appearance at the Tower : there are but ten lines from going td meet Tirrel in his clofet, before that impious tool comes on with his followers quite prepared i had he mentioned the premium and the King't ftvour to lull their fcruples, the bufinefs would have been conduced more confidently.
The King's fdlilocjuy is mafterly ; anxious hope and guilty ambition quiver in every fylla- ble ; nor is the fucceeding fcene lefs chara6berif- ticj Cate(by*s entrance is well contrived, and gives a good opportunity for that fiery fpirit breakingout, which fo much animates the remain* der of the piece *, Richard's interview with the la* dies, tbo' not ei&ntial, in fome meafure deferves its place, as in it the tyrant is devoted to deftruc- tion by a itaother'sCurfe: the following part of this ad is as rapid, arid as well a conduced fcries of interefting events as ever was exhibited in any drama, and it concludes with a very bold, flrik* ing climax of paffion.
The three firfl: fcenes of the fifth aft are merely preparatory to what follows, and therefore ju- dicioufly jQiort ; Richmond (hews hithfelf fuf- ficientiy, and ftands well contrafted to his anta- gonift. Richard's fcene in the tent is' as welt imagined, to engage the feelings of fpeftators- and to Chew the power of adion as pofiible ; nor
could
the DRAMAft^ fcENSOR. 9
could ghofts ever be mbre jnftifiabk *tfian here 5 however we muft offer a doubt whether fuch falfe creations of the brairt ; fhould ever be called to view ^ Cnce it is mod: certain that they play upon our paflionsin flat and abfurd contradiftion to our rea*- fon ; let this point be determined as it may^ Cibbcr Ihewed juft critical judgment in rejefting the fecond introduftioti of thofe imaginary exiftenccs ; tvhich we find in Shakefpear's Richard ; becaufe in re^rc- iehtatioh one would have flattened the other, and both mufl: have confequently palled : after many martial excurfions, in which the leaditig character is very happily exhibited 5 the cataflirophe is wrought up to a moft pleaflng event in his death ; a circam* ftance as confonant to llri<5t poetical juftice, as it is to hiftorical truth : Richmond's conclufive fcenc dirplays a generous, patriotic difpofltion, and is as agreeable as the place it fl:ands in will admit.
Having thus given a general delineation of the
plot and arrangement of fcenes ; it becomes ne-
cefTary to enquire for the moral, without which no
dramatic piece can have intrinfic worth ; in hifl:o-
rical plays we cannot expert much focial inftrudion,
as they chiefly appeal to national tranfaftions ;
however from Richard the Third we may draw
this uieful conclufion, that no degree of fuccefs
and grandeur ; no gratification of lawlefs ambition,
however fplendid j can dill the voice of confcicnce ;
which though unheard by the world, fpeaks in
thunder to the guilty wretch, who bears fuch a
painful monitor in bis bofom.
C The
lo The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
The chara&ers of this piece are many in num- bers yet exhibit no great variety of contrail : after Richard, Henry, Richmood» the Queen and Chil« dren ; all the refl: are of a (inular complexion : Richard is truly in point of figure, fenciments^ Ian* guige and conduft— himielf alone i^ however hifto- rical relation admits doubts of that monarch's perfo- nd deformity, it was certainly well judged to make )i]f external appearance, on the ftage, emblematic of his mind % and for fake of Angularity drefCng^ him only in the habit of the times may be dtten« fibk I but what excufe can be made for (hewing him, at Us firft entrance, in as elegant a drefs, as when king, I am at a lofs to fugged i does he not after his Tccne with Lady Ann, profefs a defign of ornamenting bis perfon more advantageouQy i Macbeth when king is always diftinguifhed by a fccond dreis, why not Richard ? a (liil greater br^cb of propriety appears in putting mourning upon none of the per fens at court but the ladies and the children } though Richard pays all other exttrr nal refpeft to the circumftanceof his brother's deaths
Through three a&$ Richard appears the clofc diflembling politician, and aflfords no great variety fit aStioti ; indeed his foliloquys are fo long and fo frequent ; that very few who attempt to reprefcne him avoid falling into an infipid famepefs.
In the fourth and fifth a£ts he breaks out like a fiame which has been long fmothered ; and through the impctuoficy of agitating circumftancea betrays many peifermers into the error of out decoding Herod.
The
The DRAMATIC CENSOR." it
The Public have fct up Mr. Garrick as a ftandard of perfeftion in this' laborious, difficult part ; and if we conGder the efientials, his claim to fucfa diftin6tion will immediately appear indifputa- ble^ a very deformed perfoh never rifes above^ and feldom up to the middle flature ; It is genenily attended with an acutenefs of features and fpright* linefs of eyes ; in thefe three natural points our Rofcius ftands unexceptionable ; variations of voicc^ and climax of exprefTion, in both which hf jOtands without an equal % graceful attitudes, ner- vous a£Uon, with a well-regulated fpirit, to ani*^ mate within natural bounds every paflage, even from the coldeft up to the mod inflamed.
Mr. Garrick alfopreferves a happy medium, and dwindles neither into the buffoon or brute ; Ofie, or both of which this charader is made by moft o|her performers : ^tis true, there are many paflages which have a ludicrous turn, yet we may reftaflbreds that he who occafions lead laughter is moft right i m refpeft of marking particular places with pccu* liar emphafis, fome exceptions miay be taken, or doubts raifed againft every perfon I have ever ieeo in the part ^ however, tracing minute lapfes of this kind, which after all noay be (nere matter of opi- nion, would occafion too great a digrellion ; I (hall therefore only mention three which ftrike me mod i the firft is,-^/<ij9i mffelf aknt — which words I hav$ heard exprefled in a tone of ^confident exultatipPt ai if be was fingularly above the red of mankind ^ whereas advertiatg to his own unhappy com pofipon* k Ihould be jutteitd with heart- fek difcotitent ; and ' . ' ■■ C a in*
12, The DRAMATIC CENSOR,
^ _ ■ - • . >
ipdeed the three preceding lines, which exclude him fropd all fecial intercourfe, fhould be expreffivci of concern. — The fecond paffage is, where Buck- Jngham folicits Richard for his proi^ailb, and Ri« chard piedita^es in theie lines,
I do r^^iemher me, that Henry the fi^th Did prophefy, that Richmond iheuld be king. When Richmond was a litde peevFih boy* •Tis odd — a king— perhaps —
The laft line is often fpoke without a tone of continuation to the word,^ perhaps j which is moft evidently intended : the third place is in thefc
lines.
Hence, babbling dreams, ye threaten here in vain ; Con/cienciy ^tt^trx/— ^Richard's himfelf again*
It is ufual to (peak this couplet in one continued ^liniax of paflion ; whereas the two words marked in Italics, fhould be uttered in a lower tone, ex- preffive of mental agony — Confcience bring the ^nftant difturber oS his peace, and a great bar ta bis refolution ; the latter part of the line rifes to a kind of triumphant exultation, which not only ya^ ries, but gives force to the expreffion.
Having placed Mn Garrick far before all other tompctitors in this charader. as.fupporang. every fcene throughout the whole with very capital merit ; it would be ungenerous not ta ackr^ow- ledge, that Mr. Mossop difplays great powers, Mr. Sheridan much judgment, and Mr. Smith con-: fiderable fpirit •, but bad the firft more delicacy, . with lefs labour ; the fecond more harmony, an4, lefs ftiflFnefs 5 the third more' variation, with lefs- levity, their niqrit vSroukJ rife fcverak degrees beyond,, IV bat it is. '" . Henry's *
\
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. rj
Henry's ch^rader is compofed of pathetic dig^ qky:; in reprcfentation it Ihould be ftudioufly re- menibered, that his griefs, tho' a diftr.eflcd king and father, fhould not be blubbered like tho(e of a fchool- boy ;, but fboUld paint feelings worthy the monarch and the man-^The part is admirably drawn, and highly finilhed, yet cannot I reniember any per- former doing it tolerable jufl;^^^^ except Mr. PiGGES J who is now, I believij, retired from the ftage.
Richmond requires little more than a good fi- gure, free, deportment, with fmooth, fpirited ex* predion \ yet our theatres have not often filled it with ability; the late Mr.. Palmer, tho' no trage^ dian^ came ncareft the idea I can form of it«
The Queen, tho' not wrought up tg the pitch hec
circumftancea ieem to admit, is a character of
much refpcft and attention j Mrs. Prit chard did
more for it in a£tion, 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 pep*
haps ever will be, an adtrefs of higher eftimation,
than the lady jufl: named : what fhe did not think
beneath her is certainly equal to any exifting merit,
and the public have an undoubted right to expeft
capital performance, wherever it can be introduced %
nor (hould the ridiculous word, confequencej deter
managers from fulfilling the point of duty.
Ihe fentiments. and verfification of this tragedy ;te rather familiarly-nervous, than flowing and affluent ; however, the language all through is wiiforraly charaderiftic, unlefs we objedl toa perfon
in
%4. The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
in Henr/s fituation ftq)ping afide to the allufioot of frojfy Cau fa/us and Dicembet fnw. Since it if crefpafling upon probability and nature, to make a cbaradter deeply diftreiled or torn with paf&on vent poetical fimilitudes ; for which reafon alfo we muft condemn thofe lines, in the laft fpeecb of the fourth aft, tho' the thought is really fine, that ijpcak of the fever-wom wretch : they arc gene- nerally omitted,' but more, I believe, to relieve the ador's utterance, than from any idea of impro* priety.
. Upon the whole, Richard appears much bet- ter calculated for reprefentation than perulal, as in- deed every buftling piece muft be; however, talle and judgement will not by^ny means hold k Kght in the cldfet
HAM
Tlw DRAMATIC CENSOR. t^
HAMLET.
Written by Mr. William Shakespxarz.
T,
HE opening of this tragedy is extremely well deviied % the dme of night, the place, the cha- raders, and what they fpeak, all moft naturally ooncur to raife an awful preparatory apprehenfion for the appearance of . that fupematural agent on whom the main aftion totally depends i and indeed fo art- fully has Shakefpeare wrought upon his great pa* tronefst nature ; fo powerfully does he eng^e our paffions upon this pccafion ; that even thofe who laugh at the idea of ghofts, as old womens' tales, guinoc avoid lending an eye and ear of (erious at-» tention to* this of Hamlet^s father.
Introducing him previoufly to fome of the in- ferior characters, brings him with double force up-* oil the principal one ; and Horatb's determining to acquaint the prince with fd ftrange ^nd alarm- iog a circumftance is very natural.
The lingularity of Hamlet's appearance as a mourner, when all the reft of the court are in a ftate of feftivity and congratulation, raifes our idea of his filial affe£tion and concern ; his indifferent, contemptuous replies to the King, and his catching fo eagerly at the vford feems^ ufed by his mother, are a happy commencement of his charafler* Laertes's foliciting leave to travel feems merely caU
2 culated
• » -
i6 The DRAMATIC CEJfSOR.
Culated to keep him out of the way, and to learn fencing agaioil the fifth a£L .
The firffi foliloquy of Hamlet is particularly ftriking and ^flentiali -a8 Ic iays open in a pathetic^ beautiful manner, the caufe of his melancholy, and paints his mother's frailty with (Irong feeling^^ yet preferves a defioite refpeft.
The fcene which introdudes Horfttio, ^ Btc. t6 Communicate the ckcumftance of the preceding night fucceeds naturally i and the broken mode of converfation, in tines and hatlF-lines, is fa art^ fully contrived, is executed in fo maflerly a maner^ that the fpeiaators, tho' they preVioufly know the fubjeA, are yet agreeably lured on to hear it re-^ lated, and thoroughly fympatbize in the tranfitionr of Hamlet; whofe interrogations concerning the awful an^baflkdor of heaven are fucb, as give ^i a ftronger feeling of the Ghoft than even his ap^ pearance does ; on the prince'fr <ietermination to watch^ notwithftanc^ing bis violent agitation, he might have ufed a phrafe kfs cenfurable than the following,
ril fpeak to it, tbo* hell itfelf flioufd gape. And hid me hold my peace.
Laertes's (hort advice to Ophelia is pregnant M^ich affedion and good fenfe; as Polonhis is in- troduced to haftep his fon on board, I could wi(h thofe excellent maxims for youth in the firft fcenc; of the fccond aft, and which are always omitted in reprefentation, were tranfpofed to this place^ and given perfonally by the father to his fon : fucb a treafure of ufcful inftruiflioo (hould upon no ac-
counfi
Tte DRAMATIC CENSOR; rjr
cbuiit be loft tb the ftagfc« Foloiiiiis'a obfefViKiDns to (^helik are prudedt abd d^fcriticiye of pattrnal afie^bn.
The remarks of Hamlet aixi his frtdndsi Wheo tri« iixtd lapon the platfdrknL» ait very (loKiicaUy thfowa by the author upion a fir dtffnrent fubje^ from what has broug^ tHein there ^ and wkh the iMerireiitloii of a flonrilh of niiartial tmfifc ulfaej' in the Ghoft with ai machor more eflTeft^ than at hii fkft appeataae^.
The princess 4ddb«ft begins with becbming awcj ^I appi<thend rifH too foddenly into exprefSooi , ill applied to the venerable, i/trc^li-knowDi bebved figure then before hlmi terror does Imked con- ^Oiind ffeafon^ but ftldoM givtt bl^th tt^d pafiiMiUte) ][^efumptrve efl^fioh ; Mfhei*efi»'6 I <nuft be h^d]^ enough to offer an objeSion sg^inft (he fttltoWing lines, as to their import i
Be thou a fpirit of healtli, or golflh darmid^ Be thy intents wicked^ or chaHtable^
Nor can I b)r any means atcquiefce in opinioni thac a heart fo flurtercfd and aiitCted aS Hamlet^s is| CidUld poflibly diftatc multiplied images \ ffioft cer^ tainly we diioDver much omre of die poet and f^»fcy than Hmstble feeiihg inl
-^— tell Why ^y Ima he^ed in canonized earth,
Havfi burft their feannents ? Why the fepulehra
Wherein we faw thee quietly interr'd,
Hatfi op*(i i{s ponderous and marble Jaws,
To caft thee up aigain ?
' ' * » i .
Vol, I. D Bcfides,
7
/
i8 The DRAMATIC CENSOR-
^ Bfrfidesy in the ftriftneft of obfervatioD, it is worthy notice, that Hamlet in one line calls the ap-* pearance in view, a fpirit^ and immediately mate^ rializes him, by mentionihg the corporeal appur- tenance of bmai the coodofion of this (cene is ad« mirably compofed of broken fentences; terror^ pafiion and aflumcd refolution.
In the fucceeding iceoe, a narration of a very af-f fedUng nature is delivered by the Ghoft* id langu^e worthy that inimitable author, who. created charaq* ters from the force of imagination, and, from the fimie ioexhauftible four ce, furnifhed a peculiar mode of expreffion for each. . This Roman cathdic opinion of purgatory is in<» f:ulcated through the whole of this interview y and funeral rites, or preparatives thereto, particularly peodoned in this line,
Unhoufel'd, unaiiointec]^ unaneard*
But whether Shakefpearc may thence be deepied a favourer of popi(h principles, remains a matter of much doubt *, and the determination, could we come at if, would be of no confeiqilence to bur prefcnt purpofe •, however, let the religious bent bD what it may, we muft admit the Ghoft's (limu^ latiori to revenge, fumifhes a very grofs idea of im«> mortality, which (boukl be freed from the paflTions and remembrances'of clay ; nor does the palliative dif* lin6tion which forbids any violence againfl/ the Queen^i take off the imputs^tiQn of mortal frailty, h^g ng a- bout an exiftencc merely fpiritual \ an abrupt de- parture^ and thofe beautiful lines with which the Qhoft difappcarsji ar? a very happy coqclufion to
V- .1 • th«
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 19
the feme* which fpiiiijaut to a greater leng^hi would l^ve loft much of its force m^ beauty^
Ilamkst'i enfuingifoliloquy i| very n^tur^l^ an^ Jiighly tkffftS&vt of : the iinp^flions kfc upon;biai 1 his conyec&eion with Hortf io ancf Mairellu^ is ju- dicioullf evafive: fi^ the drcumftance ju& learned jof his fitther's deotK, does n6c admit iti policy of commomcaticRi y and if it didy a repetition would pall the aiidieoce : howewr, tho' this kem alcoge- therluu the merit of pldsfiog propriety* I can by tjomeans, unlefs Hamlet ib<r# affiimes his frenzy* tronanend the light expceffions to his father'3 ih^ide — Truepemy-'^'^knrtitg in the cilim^i — 0ld nwk-^ wohky /c0M0r-^-efpecrally « 'he is calling upon his friends* in ^ moft fokmot :;iei^ble» msm^r^ fo^ft promife of fecriecy. ,» >
Thus ends thefirft aA; which, is fo full of bulL- nefs* and that of foiittporiant a nature* that per- 4nif» no aujtboi! but Shakcfpeiire could have produced any tbo^ ifw** relatbe to the (^mt ftory* worthy of attoii^n I yet what follows fliews us the pofUbU lity md execii&ve power. . »
Fotonittt comnnences ihe fecond aA wi^hOplie** lia* who, in a^erypi^itiquc manner* ofiakesher father and tb€f andfenceacquainted withe the prince*s diftra6iion ** which the fly c^ ftatefman* imputing to Hamlet's pi^flSon for his^ daughter* determines to avail himfclf of with the King i as appears by hijs reading a letter and commenting upon it in the nexjt feene ; which* with the Qoeerfs admittifjgjove ^j» a probabljp caufe of her fortes phrena^y* determirics' thcm^to feel his inclination tlpon that point : PoIjqn*
D % nius.
«
»d The DR A M &.TIC CSK 3 aR.
\
iiiwi likea bufy< iififul €MNief/wd(Ntidcei tbii^ and enoiunten Haliifeti whofe pretoncirof mi knowtni; hitii» etcAfiodi. Much pointed ^tiie, and (i^ft^^ agfteable repafca^s } iMtn ^ilionce, Bo^ckiUid^
tiQt being able to deduce any tbingisfefiiV ratiRi^ and mak«» way for two iodiar coort^pi^^ who^ under a Veil of ^rieifdftiipt eodcawuplD worm out the fecret % }»Vi^ aiades tkeir ^Itgn in a diffeccot and Ttimt maAarly manarr i diere could not be f tnorepregoantt. riql\.aiid phibfophroal diiSrrtaeioii 4ipon Ib^ bK)de o£ his own nrind» and the^exceUcnce of humin natttre, than 9w felbwihgit}egant|ucaQa of pbetkal^ p^ofe dieli vdrtd by, Hamfei^
<^ I have b^ late, btit wh^srefore I know noft loft aH ^< min^ V foregone id) ckiftom of exerdfe^ and indeed *' it goes fo heavily with my diffisofitioti ; ^ that tbf ^ g6odly ^^e dSkeearth/itema to mc a Acril pro* ^^ montary vtM»m()ft4txefltenec;^iiapytheair, thia ^^ maje(6cal roof fretted vfith golden five V why itap- . ^} pears io me doihii^but^ ibol and pafta^nital cpn> ^ gregatton of Vapours-: What a piece ftf work ia *^ man ? how noble in fealboj bow infinite in ^* facukiesi \vk fbrnl' andi Moving how cxpreij and "^ admSrikble ! in adktn how t^kt an ^mgell in apU ^^ prehertCion how Mte ^Godf tbe beauty of thb <* Wctfld !r the Patagbnof ailimals t'^ ; >
' In the foregoing paflage wfe have ^s^ toncilc and Ixautiful a delineation ofhumannatur^as thought can conceive or words exprdfs ;. and the immediacy tfan« ficron to mention of the players^ who^ though ieem- ^ngly intruders are .material agents for the plot^ ia txceUehtly contrived by the author ^ fince Hamltt«
2 ♦ a%
n R4M A T I C C E»3 OR; m
n veiiMy juftly fap{>Qfe fr6mlii»|m^ mediattly fuggoft^ th4t ufil for th^ ASoM in tii^ |>rdM9k>Q» ^ vhich fooa after be jmket of iheiiu : Wbdo Potoiiitt eiitris to tdr> 1^ the cAmc^ lUaosi the Frkvie^gftin (iflume^hbjftilc (^ ftpaMce^ and ittdttd h pkafir^If witty widi tlui ;taMbold fiitefitmru liis wc|pocnelQ tlio Pkqrert k .iPoHmdAptfid to didnodb of behamDiir hcbal put on 4 but fe^ b»»t ;q ibfl \^f of bcr ifojw ^^ lik^ p picct of uncurrent gold bttng crac^ked tndriie fiAg*,'' b |iqt C9mmfSQ4^t)^tddl|ca|ae r ^taftep£c^fr
-qjjftS^y* ^?d walWBg * nc?iftalw jft |hjB firljt linp ^
l|»t. ^flpige he p^n^s pup rcfpj&ain^ Pyrrb^w, aip
plfa^gJVid n«^i^ qr€U|Q(Unoe$, tjhoug^ of cb^
.flprtsu^ki^d. .
From the imagery of thofe fpfflphiss wbich tl^
PUycr repcftt*, i? appears pWrtly ih«l they» an4 tha
iccpc to the third 4ft flre oot only ioteodcd a& pr^pv
fftoiqr means to cOQfVHft the King^ guilt) \m ane
talib aqe^itf to reatite the cbairidieiis of the main
l^ipp( i KhQrefpee the matter^ manpert and ad^iw
iar« ^Ukntly piqpftfed a^ a contraft of fiftlon^ to
W\m%k-iff ic^SkTftha i^udiofioe ibgiild thiidc truths
; TbfiTA ift AQr^ feDticnent in the whole ch«ra£)3er of
Hamlet, nof tudaed any other mote worthy a good
heart and ^reat noiod,, than hU reply to Pobnius ;
who fay5, he •* will ufc the Playcrfi a? they dcfcrve.*
** Much better— ufe every mm according to his
" deferts, and who flialPfcapc whipping ? Ufe them
" after youf own honour and dignity j the Icfi they
" djtfcrvp, the more merit is in your bounty/*
.At
1ft The DRAMATIC .CENSOR.
^ At the begUuiingxyf the foliloquy which con^' eludes the (tcotui^&^ Hamlet ^ves him^lf a^Ui*^ fional force and reality, by alluding to the Flayer^ fiAiiious fectkigs, compared with hisown fsbftaiiti^ /caufe xif grief; the- defign of roufing confcious guik in bis uncle, by a representation limilar to the murder of his Father, is^pofittcand well ihtrodoced*, iior a n^iUion ot inftances fwniih indobit^le prooff
^- . That murder, tho' it have no tongue, will fpeak ' ' . Wkhniioft mitaculou^oi^an. . >
W$' remarks that the fpirit he has fcen may be a devil, and that the devil may have power to afTume a'plcafing Ihape,' favour Very ftrbngly of a weak Tuperftitious mind ; and give tHi no exalted idea of the prince's head, however favourably we toay Judge of his heiaft.
In the firft fcerie of the third aift, we find the King eager to get at the caufe of his Jfephew's fuppofed frenzy ; the Play being mentioned, ai^d an invitatii)fi for the court to T^e it, hi^ Majefty from pidlitical reaibns agrees i and Ophelia is left to try what ex* 'planation (he can bring her lover to— the celebrated foliloquy — io bt^ inr not U be — is here introduced, and exhibits a beautiful chain of m€firal rea(bmng| the Qbje£):ion thrown in againft fuicide,
■ ■ I The dicad of (bmething after'deatfa, • ■ • •
is concife, perfuafive, and highly cdnfonant with tho
true principles of moral philofophy •, Critics have
with juflice pointed out the inconfmcnCe of tha^
parenthcfis which ftile^ the future world
An^undifcovercd cour^try, from whofe bourne Nolravelkr returns.
^'rf^ N.otwit^aading^
7-
t
The P^RAMATIC CENSOR. a^
Notwidiftanding the mafter^^fpriog; of this, very^ plaf is fueh a trarcllcr ; tharcforc a palpaWc, flat contra* di&ion to the above. a(&rtk>n ; the author no doobi meant a corporeal traveller, but it isi ftretching ior dulgence very far to admit fqch a. latitude of ezprcf- lion.
. * The converfation between Hamlet and Ophelia is finely im^ned to puzzle tte fpies who watch hit words and a&ions \ and though it exhitntsmadnels9 yet as Polonius remarks of a former fqene — there is metbcdin it ; Shakefpeare, in all his pieces, fcems t^ have had great regard to the capital charafters both te to ftrength apd variety \ the feigned madnefs ia tins piece tends greatly to the latter, and gives much fcope, particularly in this fcene, for powerful ^tm — the King's propofition of fending the prince to England, tboqgh a fl:range fcheme, ihews the apprehendon which con fcious guilt fixes on his
mind.
Htmlet's advice to the Players is ,as juft and fenr fible a lecture upon ;feveral theatrical excellencies and errors as ever was penned ; but few who perform the part have a right to deliver it ; being in many inftanccs guilty therofi^lvcs of tbpfe very abfurditiea which thty recommend a reformation of.
Hamlet's behavit^r in the fcene of tbe|)lay is extremely chara^leridic ^ .his fportive replies to Ophelia, and his faitiiric^l taunts to the King, fuit the (late of things h^pily : Indeed the mock repre^ 'fentation and every oth^r circumilance are very well condufbd towards the grand point ;. and his mar. Jcfty's abrupt tetrc45 fuifiwntly evinces his guilt;.
the
K
t4 TbeDRAMATIC CENSOiL
ijie enfiring converfttion with RofenciFam and Guildtoftero pkmily fliews the juft opinion Hamlec tmcrtatiis of court fycophants, 2nd bis playing upon Polonius is pliant, as well at pdignanc
The King's foliloquy is a moft fiojflied piece! c^ argumentative, pathetic contrition i and fur4 Tiifhesa tery ihArtidhre piAuf e of a gailty nikid : of Hamlet's, whkh inim^diaqbly fucceeds, we cskm not fpeak favourably^ ias it greatly derogates not Only from ad anriable but even a comthon caoral fch^adler.
ftevcnge, when tnoft provoked, rathct vioi-
fitds human feelings; however, as in fome in^
fiances, the heart cannot decline k, and what mo^t
pi evoking than the death of a father ? Yet life for
life is the utmoit that can be required ; for a mortal
vice or^ faHittg premeditatefy to plunge t^bt pen*
ptftr^tdr into a ftate of infinite ftiifery, bad we power, would be giving nature a diabolical bent ^
therefore when Hamlet refolves upon taking his
Unckf in fome peculiar ad of (in, that bis heels
may kick at heaven, he certainly forms a defigp^
and utters fentiments more fuftable to an afiafiin 6f
the bafcft klnd^ than a virtuous prince and a feel*
ing man. /
In thatexcejfettt fcene of thei clolct where, the
l^riAce fo beautifuDy and fo powerfully reoionftratea
to hia soother Upon her guilty and fliameful fituatlon ^
there appears a» incidenc which rather calb another
Ihide upon our hero's character ; that is the death
of Polonius : It happens evidently throogb^ a
miftake, fuppofmg. him the King: Xet «tiiij.thc
miftakc
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 25
miftake is difcovered, he has not Gomrrion humanity enough to regret taking the life of an innocent inofFcnfive old man, nay the Father of a Lady too for whom he pjofeffcs a regard 5 but by the fol- lowing lines feems to hold the matter light :
Thou wretched, rafli, intruding fool, farewel, I took thee for thy betters, take thy fortune ; Thou findft to be too bufy is fome danger;
In the concliifive fpeech of the aft, 'tis true he feems to feel, but we apprehend too flightly •, and making himfclf the vindiftive minifter of heaven, is ar- raigning providence, for influencing punilhmenc where no guilt hais appeared ; by the fame mode of argument every ra(h, or bad man may palliate the moil: inordinate aftions.
Indeed why Polonius Ihould be killed, in flat contradiftion to every degree of poetical juftice, is rather myfterious •, if meant merely as a caufe foe Laertes's refentmcnt, and Ophelia's madnefs, I muft confefs that both might have been brought about on a better principle, as I hope will appear from fome general ftriftures on the ^lot.
The Ghofl's, appearance gives great force to, and raifes a very beautiful climax of pafTion in this fcene ; and it is impolTible to form an idea of afty thing better calculated for aftors to flrike, or an audience ta feel in •, the circumftances and expref- fion are fo highly deferving of each other •, that the performance muft be languid indeed, and feelings totally benumbed, if both eyes and hearts are not much intcrefted. Vol- I. E The
z6 The DRAMATIC CENSOR,
The King's refolution of lending Hamlet to England feems juftly precipitated by the unjuftifiablc event of Polonius*s death j the fcene in which the King enquires for the body contains fome pointed expreflions, and the Prince's departure is of that unaflfcdling nature, that I doubt whether one fpeda- tor out of a thoufand ever faid I hope he will come dgain, though from fuch a voyage fo late in the piece it feems very doubtful.
Ophelia's diftraftion is an extreme pretty varia- tion of a6lion ; and is defcribed with a forceable delicacy, worthy of Shakefpeare's pen ; Laertes is ulhered in with a ftrange inlinuation importing no lefs than a propofition to chufe him King ; how this became neceffary, or is reconcileable I cannot fee as in a preceding fcene the King fays, that he cannot enforce any law againfl Hamlet on account of the murder committed, becaufe.
He's loved of the diftraded multitude, Who like not in their judgement, but their eyes; And where tis {o^ th* offenders fcourge is weigh'd. But never the offence.
Nay fpeaking of the matter afterwards to Laer* tes, the king delivers himfelf thus
Why to a public court I might not go. Is the great love the people bear him ; Who dipping all his faults in their affedion, Would like the fpring that turneth wood to ftone. Convert his gyves to graces.
Now if Hamlet was fo extremely popular, how is it poffible to fuppofe that Laertes by complaining of a private injury, fliould fuperfede him in the peo-. pie's favours, and gain their voices to the prejudice
1 of
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 47
of his birth right ; be(idcs Laertes's attack upon, and Janguage, to a monarch, without knowing a fyllable of the matter he contends about, makes him an ab- folute dra wean fir equally the foe of juftice, reafony and decorum ; indeed the author ftems to have been fenlible of this, making the king fay
Will you^ Jn revenge of your dear father's death Deftroy both friends and foes i
Ophelia's fecond introduction relieves and gives fome fparks of life to a converfation full of falfe fire and impotence ; wherein one party appears a bluftering fool, and the other a daftard villain : as to the confpiracy againft Hamlet's life, it feems the ne plus ulfra of a forced cataftrophe ; a plan,which bj approving it^ (hews Laertes to be as much an intentional murderer as the King.
There is a degree of deteftation mingled with contempt, and that difagreeable feeling both thefc characters raife ; the Queen's account of Ophelia's mournful end is juflly admired ; and tho' the lady while in her fenfes, faid very little to afFeft us, yet here the poet teaches us to feel for the event which has deprived her of life.
Nocwithftanding Mr. Voltaire's objedions t© the firft fcene of the fifth aft, as being inconfiftent with the dignity and decorum of tragedy, are in a great meafure true ; yet the charafters are To finely drawn ; fuch pointed fatirc and fuch inftrudtive moral fentiments arife, as give it great eftimation and raife it far above infipid proprety ; fome expre- fllons of the grave digger in anfwer to Hamlet's
E 2 queftion
28 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
queftion, how long a corfe will be in the ground be- fore it rots 5 however true, are oflfenfively indelicate. The funeral of Ophelia is indeed a maimed and to me, an irreconcileable piece of work.^ — She is we find allowed Chriflian burial, is attended by the king queen and whole court yet the clergyman refufes funeral fcrvice ; fappofmg her death doubtfull, tho* the queen in the foregoing a£t imputes it without refervation to an accident ; and I venture to prefume there is no medium between admiflion to confe- crated ground with all ufual ceremonies ; and a to- tal cxclufion from the whole ; but the author feems to have been in a date of difficulty -, he would haye a grave, and made the bed apology for it he could. The encounter of Hamlet and Laertes is . fup- ported with an excefs of fpirit on both fides ancj, if . we confider the real ftate of things, rather bla- meably on the^part of the former ; he has killed the father and in confcquence deprived the fitter of her fenfcs ; yet when a grieving, injured brother and fqn vents an explanation, yery excufable in his fituation ; the prince, even at the interment of a Woman he pretends love for ; indulges a mofi: outrageous de- gree of paflion 5 interrupts a facred ceremony and ofiers his leffon in ftile of a challenge to Laertes ; nay after moft infulting behaviour, when feparated ' — he retorts accufation upon the challenged perfgq in the following irritative taunt,
Hear you Sir,
What is the reafon you abufe me thus ?
I Jov'd you ever— but tis no matter.
Let Hercules himfelf do what he may, .
The wt will mew, the dog will have his day,
There
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 29
There is indeed a palliative excufe made by Ham^ lee to Laertes for this inconfiftent behaviour at the beginning of the laft fcene — where he fays 5
m ■ ■■This prefence knows. And you muft needs have heard, how I am punifh'd With a fore diftraSfion ; what I have done» That might your nature, honour and exception Roughly awake ; I here proclaim was madnefs.
Now if it be confidered, that his madnefs has been but ajfumedj this appears a mean prevarication, to a man whom he has moil deeply injured, and who, to his knowledge, never meant him wrong ; to fay that this paflion was put on to deceive the court, weighs but little, as we find in the adion, di- Ihevelled haij, ungartered Stockings, &c. are laid afide for a compofed appearance ; and immediately after the blufter we find him not only regular in converfation with a coxcomb meffenger of the King's, but punftual in the terms of the challenge ; and coolly fenfible in fulfilling it hfcre the courts without any deCgn, more than the credit of vic- tory in view.
Another faint apology is made in a fcene with Horatio, where the prince feems to be forry that the bravery of Laertes's grief fhould fo far provoke him ; but all this fcene, except a very few lines, }i left out in the reprefentation ; and indeed, tho* meant to account for Hamlet'3 coming back, it draws fuch a ftrange pidure of his getting at the King's difpatches, and forging others, to turn the defign of his death upon Rofencraus and Guil-
dcnftern.
go The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
denftern, that we lament fuch low chicanery in a cha- raflfr of dignky ; one who had no occa^fiont but much to the contrary, to appear a volunteer in tvs uncle^s proportion of fending him to England ; however, as the tranfadlion of his fpcedy return fhould be accounted for, I wifh fomewhat more like a narrative was preferved in aftion.
Oftrick is a whimfical mufhroom of fancy, and tho* Shakefpeare prefents his audience with a Danifli ' beau^ he took the conftituent parts from EngliQi court-butterflies of his days, and even furnifhes him with the equivocal punning ftile, which took its rife and fafliion from that fecond Solomon, James the firft, whofe pedantry and hatred of witches were equally confpicuous.
The lafl: fcene, if there arc two good fencers, (which by the bye feldom happens) muft pleafe the eye confiderably •, yet fuch a flaughter of charac- ters mufl: cloy the moft fanguine critic that ever • thirfted for theatrical blood-fhcd, and pity muft ex- tend very far indeed, to attend even the expiring hero of this piece with any degree of patience.
Having thus progreffively delineated the plan, it becomes necefiary to make fome general ftriftures upon the whole, tojuftify thofe occafional remarks which have been made.
At the opening of the play, we find that a very remarkable apparition has been fcen by the palace- guard two nights together -, yet fo refolute and fe- crct have thefe foldiers been, that no mention is made of ir, except to Horatio, who difbelieves the ftory i but on his watch the third night, is con- vinced
the DRAMATIC CENSOR. 31
vinced by ocular demonftration ; upon which, he very naturally determines to mention it to Hamlcc in particular, as fcemingly moft interellcd in the appearance ; this, in conjundion with Bernardo and Marcellus, he does the next morning ; here \t feems a little irreconcileable, that Horatio, the par- ticular and intimate friend of the prince, (hould be in Elfinoor two days, or more, as we muft fup- pofe from circumftances, before he paid refpefts to his royal patron ; thefe, I confefs, are minutiae, yet claim notice in the ftridlnefs of criticifm.
Hamlet's aflumed madnefs might undoubtcdif have been made the inftrument of fome important fccret purpofe relative to his father's murder, and his own juft refentmcnt; yet, as it now appears, anfwers no other end, than merely cajoling the the King, diflrefling the Queen and Ophelia, bam- ming Polonius and the courtiers, and giving great fcope for capital a<5ling ; which lafl: article feems much more the author's intention through this piece than decorum and confidence.
The King not being able, cither by his fpies, or even condefcending to be a liftener himfelf, to find out the bottom of this frenzy, which, through confcious guilt to him looks terrible, forms a refo- folutioh of fending him to England, under pre- tence of receiving tribute ; but, as appears after- wards, that the complaifant Englilh monarch ihould put to death the heir of the Danifli crown upon mere requefl:.
Strange! that he who found means to deftroy his ,his own brother, in the plenitude of power and po»
pular.
i ■' <
j2 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
pular efteem, fhould take fuch a round-about me* thpd CO difpofe of a nephew he feems to fear i and full as ftrange is it, that Hamlet, who has fo much caufe to fufpeA his uncle's intention, and who has fuch powerful motives for ftaying at, home, fhould tamely, without objeftion, go upon the voyage.
On returning, we. do not find him taking any ftep towards punifhing the murderer i nay,^ molt po* litely undertakes to win a wager for him •, how un- worthy for him then does the cataftrophe come about ! . when wounded with a poifoned weapon himfelf, when he hears of his mother's being poi- foned, then and not before, urged by defperation, not juft revenge, he demolifhes the king of fhreds and patches, as he properly ftiles his uncle in the third ad.
From this view, it is, with all deference, appre- hended, that, after his deteftion at the play, if his majefty, upon the principle of felf-defence, ha4 formed a defign of taking the prince off by inftru- ments at home -, if that defign had been made known to the Queen ; had fhe, through maternal affedion, put Hamlet on his guard ; and had that prince taken meafures worthy the motives of ftinyu-; lation, a tyrant of fome confequence and uniformity would have been (hewn in Claudius 5 a tender mo- ther in the Queen, and a hero in Hamlet ; the In- nocent charadlers, PoloniUs and Ophelia, might have been faved 5 and death' prevented from ftalk- king without limitation at the cataftrophe : as it ftainds, no lefs than eight of the characters are dif-
pofcd
V
the DRAMATIC CENSOIt. 3^
pofed of that way, four in view at one time upon the ftage.
In refpeft cf charaders, we are to lament that the hero, who is intended as amiable, fhould be fuch an apparent heap of inconQftency ; impetuous, tho^ philofophieal ; fcnfible of injury, yet timid of re-
feqtmeqt ; fhrewd, yet void of policy ; fgll of filial piety, yet tame under oppreffion j boaftful in expreflion, undetermined in action : and yet from being pregnant with great variety, from affording 1 many opportunities to exert found judgment and ^xtenfive powers, he is as agreeable and ftriking an objeft as any in the Engli(h drama.
In the performance of this chara6ler, we muft, as in RicHARp, place Mr. Garrick far before any gthcr competitor ; his reception of, and addrefs to the Gholt ; his natural, piifturefque attitude, terror-ftruck featpres, low, tremulous expreffion, riling in harmonious gradation, with the climax of his ipeech and feelings, all give us the mofl: pleaf- ing, I had almpft faid, aflonifhing fenfibility *, in all the pointed parts of the dialogue his matchlefs eyes, anticipate kis tongue, and imprefs the meaning up- on us with double force ; no man ever did, nor poffibly, ever will, fpeak hemiftics, broken fen- tences, and make tranfitions with fuch penetrating cffc<St •, in this lies the indifputable fuperiority of our modern Rofciusj that, where other performers, and good ones too, pafs unnoticed, he is frequent* ly great ; where an author is languid, he gives him ipirit; where powerful, due fupport j out of many inftances, I (hall fcleft only two. Firft, where Vol. I. F Ham-
34 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
Hamkt fays to his interpofing friends — I f(^^ fl- way — then turning to the Ghoft — Go on- — FU fd^ low. — His variation from extreme paffion to reve- i^ential awe, is fo forceably expreffed in eyes, features, attitude and voice, that every heart rtiuft feel \ the fccond is in the third aft, where the Queen fays, the Ghoft is but the coinage of bis brain ; his turn- ing ihort from looking after the apparition with wildnefs of terror, and viewing his mother with pa- thetic concern is moft happily executed.
.Mr. Barry gave confiderable pleafure in Ham- let, which was, however, chiefly derived from a fine figure and mufical voice ; but declamation and originality were wanting.
Mr. Sheridan, under the difadvantage of a moderate perfon, and ftill more moderate voice, by theefFcftspf found judgment, undoubtedly ftands fecond •, in the lighter fcenes, he wants, *tis true, cafe and levity \ but in the foliloquies, and the third aft clofet fcene, he is, or has been, truly ex* cellent.
Mr. Ross has the eafe of a gentleman and dig« nity of a prince j but wants weight for the decla- mation •, poignancy of expreflion for the fpirited parts, and variation of countenance for the vehe- ment paflions; however, he might juftly gain more critical appLufe, if he would forget the au- ditnce \ glow with his charafter, and be more afll- duous in the fupport of every fcene, not drop fome, as if unworthy his notice.
The whole part of the King, except his folilo- quy, is truly wretched for an aftor : and, to fay
3 truth.
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 3$
troth, I never faw one who did not make a very infipid figure in it, the late Mr. Sparks excepted; he was great in the forementioned foHloquy, re* fpedlable in every paflage of the lead regard, and fo peculiarly happy in falling, when ftabbed, from the throne, that we may truly fay, a good end apo^ logized for a very bad charafter.
Polonigs is drawn with fome tintof the whimfi-^ cal, yet I cannot fuppofe him meant for that laugh* ing-ftock, that buffoon of Tragedy, he is gene> rally reprefented ; wherefore I muft be bold to af- fert, that Mr. Mack LIN, who, while his capabili* ties lafted, (hould never have been feparated from the.ftage, was far the beft of many I have feen -, he Ihewed oddity, grafted upon the man of fenfe, and, as I remember, retained mod of that fcene at the be* ginningof thefecondad, which good fcnfeand Shake-* ipeare*s friends muft lament the general omilTion of. — Mr. Shuter, whom nature conceived, and brought forth in a Bt of laughter, may mean ex* tremely well, but, in this charafler, his literally happy contenance plays rather againft him. Mr. Taswell and Mr.. Arthvr fteered a medium courfe, which, if it did not reach capital propriety, yet defcrved confidcrable praife.
Laertes is a charaaer no way remarkable, unlefs
as contributing to the cataftrophe ; unlefs by join*
ing in, and executing a villainous device for the de-
ftrudion of Hamlet ; Mr. Lee, whofe abilities
ftrengtbened many fecond and third parts, while
they marred principals^ made more of Laertes
confiderably than any other performer has done for
(everal years.
F 2 The
/
|6 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
vTbe Gfaoft is moll admirably written i and ac^ cording to ,the idea I form of fupernatural utter- ance, adapted to fupernatural appearance. Mr* QuiN has never been excelled, nor by many de*" grees equalled ; folemnity of expreffion was hii excellence in tragedy, and, if I may be allowed the remark, his fault/ Tbo* not diredkly to my pur- pic^e at prefent, I cannot help obferving that Shake- fpeare's fame as an adtor, was difputed only be-» caufe he wrote, as plainly appears, for the mode of fpe^ingi Mr. Garrick, by moft excellent ex-* atnple, has eilablKbed ; he certainly, as a judgd and lover of nature, defpifed the titum-ti, mono^ tpnqus fing^fong then fa(hionable^ and indeed equal-* ly admired, till within lefs than thefe lad thirty years % for this reafon, he was judged to be but a middling performer, except in the Ghoft; and tbere» with propriety, no doubt, he aflumed porn-^ polity^ which^ on other occafions, lefs commend* able, would have rendered him a very popular afl:or.~»Want of aftion in the Ghoft throws a damp on the narration i if a fpirit can afliime cor-^ poreal appearance, there can be no reafon to fup* pofe imaginary arms motionlefs, no more than ima- ginary legs; however, fome peculiarity in this point, 9S well as the tones of expreffion, Ihould bi obferved.
Horatio is the only amiable man in the piece, yet except his firft fcene, is very inconfiderable : what could be made of fuch a charafter, Mr. Havard (hewed in full; and it would be wronging Mr, Hv^l^'s fenfibflity/ for fuch feelings as aduat^
Ham-
f"
The DRAMAriC CENSOR. ^f
Hamlet's friend, not to acknowledge he does him great juftice.
The Gr4v4-digger was never in better prcferva- tion than with Mr. Yates. — The Q^een Ihould be an objeft of deteftation or pity, ye^ is neither, but an odd compound of both. — Mrs. Pritchard here, as in many others much more intereftrng-^ when (hall we fee her like tf^^/n.-^Opbelia found
a great friend. in Mrs. Gibber, and has no reafoa
«
to complain of her intimacy with Mifs Macklin^.
As to the verfification and dialogue of this piece, they are flowing without monotony, poetical witb^ out bombaft, eafy without flatnefs, and always fpeak to the heart, where there is opportunity or occafioD. To tranfcribe all the beautiful paffagea would feem a defign to fill up \ and to produce on-^ ]y few, where there is abundance^ muft be deemed partiality \ wherefore I refer to tl^e reader's tafte and the. piece itfelf } prefuming to conclude my re- marks on it with one general obfervation, which is, that no play can afford more entertainment on the ftage, or improvement in the clofet, tho' abound- ing with fuperfluities and inconfiftencies ; feveral of xhe former are omitted in performance^ mod of the latter muft remain ; all the moral we can deduce is, that murder cannot lie hid, and that confcience ever fiiakes a coward of guilt.
The S TR A-
38 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
THE STRATAGEM.
A Comedy. By Farqjthar.
A
S Mr. Pope declared an honcft man the nobleft work of God, fo Mr. Addifon pronounced a good tragedy to be the nobleft work of man ; whether he advanced this opinion from intending to raife fuch a mafterly and permanent monument to his own reputation upon the ftory of Cato ; or if he did, hew much he failed in the great attempt, we ihall not at prefent pretend to determine; but ra- ther yield to Dryden*s aflertion, that an epic poem is undoubtedly the mod arduous and comprehenfive effort of human genius.
The tragic mufe confeffedly claims great pre- eminence over her fifter the comic; yet if we con- fider, that a knowledge of ourfelves and the world are the bed pofleflions of our minds, the laughing , lady, tho* fhe muft yield precedence to dignity, may certainly, upon juft principles, boaft a greater fhare of utility ; the elevated paflions and incidents with which we are treated by the former may warm, melr, and ^ftonifli our feelings ; while the latter, playing with fancy in its natural, or fome other fiamiliar fphere, exhilerates our fpirits, puts judgment in good humour, and pleafantly prepares us to receive fbme occafional neceffary lalhes of corrcdion, applied to our vices or follies.
There
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 39
There is one remark relative to the dramatic fillers well worth notice ; that, as the elder is lefs general, fo (he is more.Iafting; her characters and paDSons are the fame through ages j while the younger is forced to draw exifting peculiarities ; which, when their parent, faihion v^niihes, dif^ appear wich her, and become obfolete ; thus the comedies of Shakefpeare and Ben Johnfon exhibit mafterly genius, yet as the originals they took their pictures from are unknown, their force and beauty are in a great meafure loft. When Mr. Gar- rick's Fribble was firft played, a fmall hat helped confiderably to mark the petitenefs and inGgnifl- cancy of his figure ; what fort of a hat muft he wear now to diftinguifli him frpm the prefent Lili* putian head -covers.
We are told, that Wilkes played all his - fine gentlemen in full-bottomed wigs as Cibber did the fops alfo^ how ft range would any thing of that kind appear at prefent, when even bifhops wear crop eared bobs j the coxcomb and fine' lady of every feven years vary confiderably in al- moft every point of converfation and deportment, as they do every fingle year in regard of drcfs 5 wherefore the writer of the prefent day, if he has genius fuitable, muft have great advantage of his predeceflbrs, prevailing manners and originals be- ing on his fide.
There have been inftances of men very little con- vcrfant in life writing tolerable tragedies 5 but I don't remember one, nor do I believe an inftance can be given, of any perfon writing a comedy of
merit.
40 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
merit, whofe intereourfe with, and knowledge of fociety has not been pretty extenfive.
Unities of time and place and place are, (IriALy applied, critical trammels, ferving no purpofe but to check the noble flights of genius ; the fame lati'* tude of imagination, which can move us from a chamber to a jdrect, and thence to a grove, may un^ doubtediy reconcile much greater tranfitions ; avoids kig this very allowable liberty has made moft of our modem tragedies fo barren of incident, that they ar^ heavy and palling to a degree \ but tho' mode- rate freedom is contended for, poetical licentiouf^ nefs (hould b(e avoided *, a child to be born in the firft aft, and appear fixteen or feventeen years old in the fifth, as we find in the Winter's Tale, throws contempt upon probabilky, and overflr^s the utmoft ftretch of credibiky j fuch a lapfe of time is totally unwarrantable ; indeed as comedy is a delineator of familiar life, the unities (hould be much more punAually obferved in her compofi- tions than thofe of tragedy.
Thus much premifed, let us proceed to the inve- Aigarion of Mr. Farquhar's laft produftion ; an odd, yet it is hoped, not very blameable compofi* tion for a dying author s whofe genius, like an ex- piring taper, has here thrown out feveral ftronger flalhes of light, than when in a perfeft date of ex» iftence.
The Stratagem, more properly lb called
' than Beaux Stratagem, takes its name and birth
from the declining circumftances of two genteel
fpirited young fellows, who, from tkcir own ac-
county
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 41
. t •
cpunt, have, fpent their fortunes, and rather chofe to retire from the circle of gay life, before necefiit/ fubjeAed them to contempt; having feen many ex- amples of worthy, fenfible men, who, wanting fuU pockets, were not onlylhunned, but publicly. ridi- culed by coxcombs of their former acquaintance, wbofe finances remained ftill unimpaired.
The defign of our adventurers, travelling to pick up a fortune in a matrimonial way, tho* not ilri&ly honourable, is no way chimerical or impro- bable i and laying the firft fcene in a public-houfe, gives ah opportunity of opening the play, and its general defign, with humour as well as propriety.
The buftle of Boniface and the pertnefsof Cher- ry are extremely charadteriftic, nor can any thing be better fuppprted than the forward, felf-fufficient, talkative landlord is with his guefis in the firfi: fcene ^ the.praife of his beer, his pundtuality refpe£ting its age, its killing his wife, with the help of ufque- baugb, his [refignation upon that circumftance, his tranfition to the charadtets of lady Bountiful, the Qther ladies, and Mrs. Sullen, is a well-exprefied chain of conne£ted, humorous • nothingnefs, which is not a little enlivened by making every^ perfon old Bonny mentions, a fubjcift of appeal to the tan« kard; his curiofity in founding Archer about his niaft:er, and Archer's whimfical refer vc work a co^ mic efitfl:.
The fcene of explanation between Aimwell and Archer feems rather efientially the efieft of their fituation and fcheme th^n merely a defigned, infor- mation to the audience; and Boniface cojrnes in
ypt. J, G happily
'4i The D R A M AT I C C EN S OR;
► happily to prevent its Being tedious v tKec6nvcrf*ki6ki concerning fupper is well wrought up, ahd ArcbcrH obje<5^ons to pig and onions judicioufly cbrowtv in; whether we cbnfidcr them ais involuntary ohes^ forgetting his afiumed ftation, ot as d^figii of giv^ ing Aimwell a better opportunity of 0iewiilg Wni- felf the matter, ;
Boniface's comipents and conjedtuits ufofl the nioney which Aimwell commies to his carief, arc fiich as might be cxpeiSled from fuch a perfoh^ who appears, under cover of fpecious, open blontneft, to be a rogue himfelf, and an ^ncourager of other rogues — Cherry's diflike of his principfes^^recom- mends her-r-but when (he recals the Words, m^ fa^. iher I and fays—** I deny it— my mother was ^ : ♦* good free-hearted, j^nerbiis woman ; aiid I caoHs ** tell how far her good- nature might haWf^nded for- ^* the good of her family,*'— fli'e ^cl|)^es too much Upon the houncjs of delicacy^
Archer's enfuing dialogue with her it fpirkedt pleafing and natural j females of an inn^^rer deemed Jawful ganle both fbt* gemeel and fertile travellers i what he ifays to her is common ^pi^ce flattery, there-, fore well-adapted to a' gallant footman ; her replfca are the right ftrain of bar-maid fmartrtefi and wit s^ her catching at a flip of exprcflion when he ftys — ? ^« There's a fwarm of Cupidr, my little Venus, ^* which ha$ done the bufinefs much better,'* — that being rather above the reft of his (lifc-r-is well thrown ip, arid his cohfqfion Upon the linexpeQed queftions rcfpefting his nartie, parifh, &c. npt onjy gives Cherry a playable feafop for vi^i^ing him as
•^l)e t>RAMAtlC CENSOR. 4^
iluMojLis ch^ra^er^ but alfo affords him ^ very good ppportunity of exhibicitig equivocal looks and ek- {)re(non : the fhort^ fubfequent repartees are tx* tremely pleafaiit; their concluding with a feCond Jkifs, and ^oniface^s calling Cherryi give a timely j^rmination to the firft a,^.
At the beginning of the fecond adl:^ Mrs: Sullen, A married, and Porinda^ a (ingle lady» are intro- tluced^by. their con verfation, we find^ that the ^rmer has been bred up in^ and is fond of town«> life; chat the latter has palTed her time id, and is reconciled to rural retirement, or at mojR: a country *Qwn. *
^rs. Sullen, aflet rallying country pleafures; -ftnd\gtvi|)g no Very favourable idea of her lord and vCiafter, in a defcription ta incoaGftent with decency, 4is his behaviour is wltk good-nature and good fenfe, .approaches the liquire, on. his entrance, with be- coming affability, to which he make^ very brutal returns; indeed Sullen appears to have no manner of bufinefs here but to draw his own pifture when rfober, as > he does afterwards when drunk; on order- ing. Scrub to get ready for (having his head, the lady throws oiit a moft Ihameful hint concerning . his tenniples ; which, to make it more grofs, is in reprefentation twice repeated, this gives Scrub, .who catches her meaning, an opportunity of raif- -inga gallcry-laugh, by the mean, pitiful, panto- mimical aSion of reprcfenting his matter's horns with two fingers ; this piece of behaviour Chews • the lady to be void of fenfeas well as modefty ; a fcrvarit, and fuch a fervant as Scrub eipecially, is a
G a. ftrange
'44 the D R A M AT I C C E NS O R;
ftrange confidante for fuch an explanation. I hear^ lily wi(h the ftage ladies would omit the paflage, and go dircftly to '' Inveterate ftupidity ! Did yoa ** ever know," &c.
The remainder of this fcene'has fpirit, yet offers Dut a very faint exculpation for Mrs. Sullen's mode of thinking and fpeaking *, except in that line where Ihe fays to Dorinda *, '* if I go a ftep beyond ttie bounds of honour, leave me ; the mention of going to church immediately after fuch a converfation, is I believe not at all unnatural in a fine lady.
The fliort enfuing fcene is of very little confe- quence except containing fofne very ju(l and keen remarks upon the impreflion that AimwelPs, exter- nal appearance is likely to make ; the fatire tho' on- ly pointed at a country congregation might be as Juftly applied to many thqufands in this metropo- lis who are equally devoted to outfide (how, and unmeaning curiofity.
Gibbet's account of his plunder is pleafant and fatirical ; Boniface's mention of his two guefts natu- ral, and their joint endeavours to found Archer, with his evafive anfwers are truly comic ; the intro- dudipn of Cherry^ with her childifh repetition of love's eatechifm, prefcrves a flow of fpirits — I could wilh the qucftion where love goes out had been omit- ted ; the difco very of Archer not being a footman is well thrown in and the girf s propofition of mar- riage tho fomething forward, by no means unnatu- ral, how fhe (lands poffcffcd of two thoufand pounds immediately at her own difpofal admits fome doubt ;. Archer's hefitation falls well in \ cbery's taking ic
as
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 4^
as a confirmation of his fupef lor rank juftifies her dlf* cerhmcnt 5 and the friendly hint concerning her fai. ther (hows her heart in a very favourable light.
Archer's foliloquy is very pertinent, pleafant and lively s but fomewhat ungenerous 5 where fpcaking of one who has offered fo Aibftahtial a proof of con« ^dence and regard ; he fays — ** if the wench would promife to die when the money were fpent — £ gad one would marry her." this may be gallant, but i« mean and mercenary alfo; notwithftanding rhimes or tags as they are called, appear peculiarly abfurd in comedy-, I am willing to forgive the four following for that good fenfe they exhibit, and that certain truth they fo agreeably convey in verfc almoft as eafy and natural as profe.
For whatfoe'er the Sages charge on pride. The angels fall, andtwenty faults befide ; On earth Fm fure, 'mongft us of morul callings Pride iaves man oft, and woman too from falling.
The ladies again prefent themfeives and inform us that the fingle one has received one of love's inftan« taneous l}ghtening*winged darts from Aim well's eyes while at church ; Mrs. Sullen's raillery in thisfcene is extremely fuitable both to character and oc9afion.
There is great judgement in refervingone charac- ter or more to the third, nay even the fourth ad ; tiiis reinforcement Farquhar has mofl happily avail- ed himfclf of in the parts of Scrub and Foigard i the the former of whom is moft certainly a child of whim, yet fo near nature and fo fraught with laugh- ter that he muft pleafc \ the latt<:r is as much withia
4 the
46 The DRAMATIC CENS
the rules of critical propriety n^ poSiblei and att
object of real entercainmcnt.
Scrub'? packet of news concerning the ftraagc gentleman cannot be unfolded properly wjtbouc having a powerful! tStA ; the conjectures he relates, And his own, of Aimweirs being a Jef^it, bccaufc bis footman talks french, muft dilate even the rigid ' inufcles of ftoififm.
Love, like necedity, being a parentof invention 9 rW« muft admit the young lady's fending Scrub la cultivate an intimacy with Aimweil's footman as ^ natural piece of policy ; iervants being in general a communicative index to the fortune, fan^Iy, con- ncdionsand qualities of their matters and miftreffes,i which Archer in his converfation with Scrub feems well acquainted with, and pro&ts by ^ as we ihall find upon coming to that fcene.
Aimwell and Archer fupport different feelings in their fucceeding fcene becomingly 5 the former ipeaks of <his miftrefs with all the rapture of real ^afiion V the latter dwells upon their original view her fortune ; yet fteps fomewhat afide and with much pleafantry mentions his own adventure with Cherry ; his burlefque heroics
The nymph who with her twice ten hundred potinds With brazen engine hot, and coif clear ftarch'd Can fire a gueft, in warming of the bed
Are not only a juft reproof to AimwelPs rqman- tick allufions ; but alfo laughable fatire upon thofe poetical writers, who appropriate high flown ftrained
image*
The DRAMATIC CENSOR^ 4f
images and pompous verfification to the moft trifiing circumftances.
Boaffaoe's difpofition of introducing his guefts to cachotlier, is truly that ofa country land lord and his auempt to find out Aimwcll ; when he replies ta his invi^iionof Gibbet"^^^ who (hall I tell him fir would is very cctifift«nt with impertinent curiofity and low cunning.
Gibbet's ruily appemranee and ^enigmatical mods
of converfation are certainly well adapted to his chai^-
racier ; Aimwell's quefHons are fuitabte and hint
a juft fufpicion of the pretended captain; Bom-
face's preparative for Foigard's appearacK^e hi t
blundetirfg affedlatkKi oi knowing men and lan«
gbages is very: laughable ; and the Pried *is joining
ctompnahj^ enriches the (hort fcene he is concerned ia
Very cbnfiderably.
Archer and Scrub, ate now exhibited in a diver«»
ting ftSaite t)f j&miliarity ; the droll fimplicicy of the latter is % well drawn contrail to the polite (brewdn Heft of the former J who artfully feels the fimple- fon^s pulfe a^ under friend(hip*s i^iTumed veil^ winds imo the fubjcft he has in view ; this whim- fical tete ^ tete never fails, even with indifferent per- formance^ fetting the rifible faculties at work; jScrub^s terrible fecret of being in love with Gipfey is a rooft forceable ftroke of , low humour ; and the (Chain of explanation which arifes from it concerning fbc French count, the Prieft and Mrs. Sullen is ex* tremely natural; opening part of the plot feemingly without any defign of the author ; the tranfition to gcr^b's various employments very properly puts^
( flop
)»« The DRAMATIC censor;.
ftop to the converfation and the ladies appear in rerf fit feafon.
Mrs. Sullen*s throwing down her fan by way of lure to a footman^ though a fmart agreeable fellow, fiiews her in the light of a giddy headed coquette, of ibmetbing worfe ; it would have been an allowable method of beginning converfation with a gentleman, but to a fervant in livery violates decorum ; befides it does not anfwer the intention, for Scrub is forced to aft as mailer of the ceremonies at laft.
Archer in bis converfation with the ladies, ufes judicioufly that ftrained ftile of exprefiion which we may fuppofe a coxcombly valet would be fond of ^ and lady Howd'ye's me0kge is as poignant a piece of fatire upon the unconneAed jargon, and unintel-* figibic lumber of words a fafhionable footman's fcull is loaded with, as ever was penned— his reply to Mrs. Sullen's furprize at bis not being better pro- vided for, came from the author's heart, though now commonly omitced — " I was offered a lieute^ ** nant's commiffion — but that*s not proviGon for a ^* gentleman/* — This feems a contempt thrown on fobaltern gentlemen — but Farquhar felt the for- ceable truth having been in that ftation himfelf ; if it was too little forty years ago, what is it now when every article of life is advanced above a third ? and yet military pay remains unaugmented, though judges and fcveral officers of ftate, who had falaries large enough before, have been confiderably in-» creafed. — Reader excufe this fhort digreffion, ftrong feelings for a very rdpeftable and fcrvice^bte fct.of gentleman have forced ic froip me, ^
Dorinda^5
The DRAMATIC CENSOR* 49
Dorinda's mFormation that Archer probably is a companion of my lord's in diiguife, rather palliates her fifter's favourable difpofition towards him ; but Mrs. Sullen true to the unblushing principles of a vicious heart, throws off all refcrve in thefe words. — ** I chofe the count to fcrve me in a defign upon ** my hufband ; but I fliould like this fellow better •* in a defign upon myfelf;" — after luch an explicit declaration9 who can fay that this lady deferved a better hufband than Sullen ? — negle^ on one fide ; long acquaintance, frequent inter views, and very engaging qualiHcations, might warp even virtue at an unguarded feafon ; but at nrft fight, and fuch inferior rank, 'tis literally too grofs.
SuUen's behaviour is fuch as we may expefb. from him ; after his exit, a defign is mentioned, which as the play is performed, cannot pofiibly be difco- vered i for it never comes to aflion nor expla- nation; the author is not to blame, for by means of the Frenchman, Mrs. Sullen means to awaken her hufband's jealoufy y but that charafler being totally omitted, that matter remains in the dark, unlefs fomethihg can be picked up from what Foigard fays afterwards— but how a fpeftator is to know that for the projeA here hinted at I cannot tell.
Lady BountifulPs chara£^er is amiable, and Aim- vitlVs feigned.ficknefs well contrived to gain admif-^ fion to his miftrefs ; the buftle occafioned by his miftake is well conduced, but there is a line fre- quently introduced to create laughter in the upper regions, which occafions me to wifh Shakefpeare's Vol. I, H excellent
^ The DRAMATIC CENSOft.
excellent rule was more enforced by managers, and better obferV^ecJ by pcrfdrmcrs — ^* let your clowns •' fpeak no more than is fet down^' — or if thrs is too ftrait a limitattoil for the mihifters of Momus — ^I ^ould at leaft have them confult decency ih tWr ewn additional wit, nor facrifice decency for a little fmuggled applaufe. — I have heard what foHbws fre- quently fpbke,— ^« you Ihall tafte my water, 'th a cordial I can aflute you and of my own making -/^ *vhich Scrub facetidufly enforces, by faying, t' do^ *' tafte it fir, for my lady makes very good water ;'• another ftrokc 6f Mrs. Sulfen, for which we muft criniinate the Author, is very offbnfive; wliett Archer fays, ^' I find myfelf very ill at thib minute -,'* Ihe replies (afide indeed) with this em- phatic bbfervation— ** I faney friend I could find 4 *• way to cure you.'*
Aim weirs introducing his footman to the ladles^ is what I believe no peer 6r commcfner e^er dJd in fimilar circumftanCes i notwithftanding the apology of kis underfi:anding pictures.
Foigard*s cbnverfation with Gipfey, entirely ap- pertains to the under plot of introducing the Count into Mrs. Sullcn's dofet 5 the prieft is herein well charafterized, too many I fear of that fraternity having made a very bad ufe of their influence over Families.
The pifture fcene between Mrs. Sullen and Archer^ if we can reconcile the lady's amorous cdndfeffcen- f)on, contains many pleafing allufiohs and delicate compliments •, particularly comparing the duke 6f Marlbrovigh then in the zenith of glory to 'Alexan-> 4 dirj
T^ DR A M A TIC CENSOR. 51
{^tt ; the hint of his own difguile thrown Qut in Jupiter's approach to Leda, and a(kif)g the lady if IbjP did not fecve the painter who prefbo^ed tq d^aw ber bceafts, as Jupiter did Salmoneus for imitating I^s, thaler \ are wieli iip^ginedt though in a roman- tic Qrajp ; what follows refpeAing the bed-chami^r» 13 as^ e](traordinary a ^oup-de-mait> of gallantry a« can be met with ; confidering the circumftances of foch d^^rent rank^ fo flight; an acquaintance^ tim^ pf t;h|& day, and company at hand \ if the ^ttajck b? truly BrrtUh, as Archer infmuateSy then are Briton'$ Lio^s in Ipve. — Scrub's entrance is critical an4. lupky ; his confufed manner of telling the pri^ft'a plot^ humorous and natural.
The comparative view of coxnpfiments from their lovers, for Mrs. Sullen honeftly owns Archer fuch^ between her and Dorinda is very fpirited ; but both t^ ladies rather call a blulh upon the cheek of mor liefty, when one fays—" y0U can't think of thp *« man, without the bedfcHoyir I find." To which ;he knowing young lady replies — ** I don't fin4 ^^ any thing unnaturaJ in that thought ; while the ^^ mind is converfant with fielh and blood, it muij; ♦* conform to the hy mours of its company ?** Anot- t^ier paflage not very defensible, is-^" mine (poke ^« the foftcft moving things-^ mine had his moving ** things too ?'•-— This reply' is generally delivered with fuch an illuftrative etpphafis, that there needs no ghoft to tell what the charader, or at leaft thp aiflrefs means ; I wilh this arch mode of exprefliGPft «s ^ is caUedj was reformed all together ; and it
H z fooa
si The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
foon would be, if public refentment, inftead of tp« plaufe attended it.
In the latter part of this fcene the author labours, and with fome effed, to make Mrs. Sullen apolo^ gize for herfelF ^ when (he fpeaks of her own heart, and the violence done her feelings by a brutifii in- fenfible hufband ; fome rays of partiality will break in upon us for her unhappy fuuation ; yet her rc- lapf6 in thefe lines banifti them all — " to confcfi the truth, I do love that fellow — and if I met him drcfs'd as he ftiouid be— and I undreft as I fliould be — look ye fifter, I have no fupernatural gifts— I can't fwear' I could reflft the temptation— ^ though I can fafely promife to avoid it 5 and that's as much as the beft of us can do i'*— a very pretty compliment truly — not refill: temptation, then where is virtue ? — Avoiding what may endan- ger it, is moft certainly prudent, but refitting fol^- citatton, and curbing our own paflions prove inte^ grity— the chaftity of a Nun locked up within grates and walls is ao merit 5 but if the fame perfon amidft the gay world guides her fteps in the right path, this ispofitive virtue, which I believe a great majority of the fair fex are- capable of, and rife^ far above that degree of mere negative virtue, which Mrs. Sullen palms upon her icx^ having no other principle herfelf.
Archer who feems to have no real honefty from the beginning, confirms it by his remark upon Aim- weirs faying, when he fpeaks of Dorinda, " 'tis !! a pf7 to deceive her^ nay if you ftick to thofc
principle*
The DRAMATIC CENS0R.' si
** principles, ftop where you arc ;*' Foigard's prevarication and Archer*s detcftipn are whimfically iroll — the pricft's catch at Tipperary, and faying he went to fchool at Kilkenny, is as natural and plea^ iant a blunder as I have met with.
The (hort fccne between Boniface and the rot- bers is only introduced to let the audience know the dcfign on Mr. Su lien's houfe.
A new charafter, Sir Charles Freeman, without whom the cataftrophe could not have been btought about, makes, bis appearance at the beginning of the fifth aA, and not only from the landlord, buc from the fquire's perfonal appearance and convcrfa- tion, gains a confirmaticm of the difpofition of hi^ hopeful brother-in-law.
The fcene. between Archer ind Mrs. Sullen is fupported with great warmth and vivacity ; the eclairciifement is wrought up to a flrong pitch of paflion, and becomes very critical, when Scrub*s fright, in a very convenient and laughable manner, interrupts it j but Archer's remark upon his difap- pointment, is grofs to the laft degree, and (hou!d never be fpoke-^** the very timorous flag will kill in rutting time.? Scrub's miftaking him for one of the thieves is a natural eflFccl of fear, and varies the dialogue picafingly. — The feizing of the rob- bers and the difpofal of them fall well in ; Gibbet's remark that he muft fave fume part of his money t6 bring him off at the fcflions, is a keen juft ftroke of fatire againft that vile perverfion of juftice which for bribes protefts rogues whq can pay welL
Ar-
^4 The DRAMATIC CENSOR:
Archer's availing himfclf of a flight wound CD draw lady Bountiful and Mrs* Sullen afide^ that Aimwell may addrefs Dorinda to morcefFc^ give$ ijhe plot a probable progrefs i Dorinda's generous objedion to a bafty marriage, and its delicate cfftSt upon her lover are very agreeable incidents, npt a little heightened by Foigard's diilatisfa^ion at being fo often called to no purpofe. — Archer's reproadi to Ainr)well ftiews him in a very unfavourable lights— The uncxpe^ed intelligence brought by Sir CJ^harlqs Freeman of Aimwell's fucceeding to his brother's title and eftate opens our views to a favourable conr clufion, which till this remains judiciouQy dpubl- ful ; Archer's cQofufion upon hearing of S'ur Charles's arrival (hows con;imen^ble aiid natur^ fpirit 5 Dorinda*s next change is very well ima- gined, and the reafbn (he affigns for it fliows re- fined gcnerofuy, which is, that as Aimwell ha^ I candidly acqaiotcd her with hjs poverty, flie thinks it her duty to let him know his good fortune before their marriage- Archer's immediate demand of half the lady's for- tune is mean and unmannerly ; and Aimwell's replies are fomewhat ftrange for the fituation^f things. As this comedy is pLiyed, we find Foigard moft ab-^ furdly introduced to fpeak'of the robbery as being; told to him, t ho' the audience has already feen him ia prefcnccof the fame charafters placed as a guard over the thieves; thi$, by the author, was put into the Frenchman's mouth ; however, a flight alteration may bring propriety to the pricft ; only making him tnttr
with
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 55
with-— ^rrj. Jure there has been another robbery-^ Chen the mention of Boniface falls in aptly.
Cherry's billctdoux fhows honcft attachmenr, Und fure never was fo Gontcmptible a return made for gcnerofity, as Arclier*s difpofing of fuch a girl; With two thoufand pounds fortune, to be Gipfey's futceiffbr in |i)orrnda*s fervice.
The fcehe of feparation between Sullen and hk Wife has a peculiar degree of humour, and deli- neates both the charaflers pleafantty : upon Sullen^ refufiog to refund his lady's fortune. Archer makes a moft exrrardinary propofition ; firft, withrefpeft to the ten thoufand pounds Aini^ell feligns in his fa- vour, then by putting the (quire's bank notes and writ- ingsinto Sir Charles's hands; thefe baak notes, &c« we find, were taken by Mr. Gibbet; how Archer came by them we do not fo clearly perceive, un- lefs he picks his pocket when firft feized ; but al- K>wing he does, as may be juftifiable, what righc does that give him over the papers, that he fiiould lay ten thoufand pounds mortgage on them? and how amazing a compliance is the fquire^s acquief^ cence to fuch a demand ? Inftead of faying his head, I think, he (hould reply, *' my pocket aches " confumedly ;" but all of a fudden, he grows the beft-natured brute imaginable, and invites t!iem to l)e as merry as they pleafc in his houfe and at hit cxpcnce. .
If wit be an effential of comedy, this piece is certainlj^eficient in ^'^^t P9|5£i -for we find k^ixct any ofl^ho^yModiec^^rii^ which
claim that title; however, the dialogue is eafy,
• fpiritcd
56 The Dramatic censor.
fpiritee and natural throughout, wdl varied, and well adapted to the feveral charafters; the humour forcible, and maintained without defcending too low; the characters well grouped, and the fcenes arranged with judgment ; yet it is to be lamented, that there are few moral fentiments, that the plot is in many places reduced to pitiful expedients for fup« pore ; that the prineipal man and woman are defpi- cable wretches ; that human nature k (hewn in a very unfavourable light ; that feveral paiTages raife grofs ideas ; that the voluntary divorce is abfurd y that Archer and Mrs. Sullen are left in a very unfa- tisfaftary, or oflFenfive ftate ; that the whole piece is toully without a moral ; and that the four follow- ing conclufive lines have no meaning at all, or elfe a very bad pne ;
Both happy in thefr feveral flates we find, Thofe parted by confent, and thofe conjoined i Confent, if mutual, faves the lawyer's fee ; Confeot is law enough to fet you free^
Thus Mr. Farquhar diffolves the marriage-knot, with as much eafe and expedition as Alexander did the Gordian of old ; one would think his method had been pretty generally inculcated, and was well received among the great world at prefent;
In sefpedl of charafters we perceive, that Ar- cher Is a gay, fenfible, gallant, but unprincipled^ young fellow v whofe chief wi(h is to repair a (hat* tered fortune, and obtain pleafure at any rate, ha- zarding honefty for the one, and focial, as well a^ moral obligation for the other *, his attack upon Cherry may pafs, but his romantic' one upon Mrs,
Sullen
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. s7
Sullen is abfurd as well as vicious ; the view of gain, one main point, is in no fhape anfwered there ; yeC notwithftanding thefe objedions, he is a very agreeable, and therefore dangerous dramatic object ; vices fh6uld never be drefled up in pleaf-^ ing colours ; however, fuch he is drawn by the au-» thor, and now we (hall m^^ely confider him in the mode of aAion.
The attributes for fupporting this part, are viva- city of deportment, fignificancy of look, and pert volubility of expreffion ; every one of which Mr. Garrick pofleiling, it is no wonder his performance ihould be capital ; the fcenes in which he particu*' . larlarly oucftrips competition are thofe with Cherry —where he delivers lady Howd'ye's mcffage, and the pidure fcene with Mrs. Sullen.
Mr. Smith is very fprightly, agreeable and cha-« raifteriftic ; nor is Mr. Lee without confiderable merit ; but (till we mud infift that Mr. Garrick, both as footman and gentleman, maintains his ufual great fuperiority, tho* not fo much as where xAore forceable powers are wanting. * I have been fo unfortunate as to fee Mr. Sheri- DAN walk through this charadter ; and have Heard > of Mr. Mossop's undertaking it; but the report cannot be true, as it mUft nearly reduce^ him to thcitate of the King of the Antipodes in Cronon, that is making a topfy-turvy part of it, and ftand^ ing upon his head.
Aimwell, who is only a plain, unafFeding gen- tleman, found better fupport by far from Mr. Rossi and the late Mr. Palmer, than from any other
Vol. I. I pcN
5? .laie DRAMATIC CENSOR. .
pcrfiwi i htve feen ; Sullen i% well enough in the handsof Me^. Gibson and Burton ; but wa$ in- defaibabJy becter in pofib^on of Kfc. Quin, rey of Mr. Luxe Sparks ; Mn Love exhibits the igpo^ rant, jocuqd effrontery of Boniface equal to apy one I hav^ever fcen ; and Mr. Moody is extrenie^ charafteriilic in Fjoigaf d ; ya I muft be of opinion^ that if criticifm would enjoy a feaft of ori^naUtjr from the Hibernian prieft, ic muft be found in the performance of Mr. Sj^arks^dow at Drury-Janr.
Scrub is a yety marked and ftriking cbaxader^ Ample yet cunning, fi)i;ward thp' tim id i a tattkr a&^ng iecr^y ; and a fool afTuming wifdom ^ hk tortious ace happily grotefiq^ue, and pregnant wth nu^ch pJkaiknjry i a performer oouft have very faint comic powers who cannot kieep an audienc^ ia good huniour with t;hi& part ; and y^ U>mt very capital ones bav^e mn, wiJd ; Mr. Tas* Cimjir g^d applaufr^ but entirely from, making droll f^ccs; Mc« Wood WAR i^. took the famie p^tb, with fomc variations for the. bctt^ ; ^^. Smvti;r ^o has the fault of being rather too conijjcal v while. Mo Wesxoin^ by, an adiwir^ble najyqte of pf^tifpr- nuncc, moft certainly, iltandft Mnriyajjlpd in. the .part* and thrjjws all cJ|ibot4«», mechanical a<^ing far behind.
As to t!ie ladies, tb^ q14 we is z very gpod vpr man, but n<;iUiQt h^re nor th^rc iq aitign ; Mrs^ Sullen has been fufficiently animadyfsrt^d on to (j^tvt that fee is very ccnfqrabje, yet IJie muft always gain attention ai:id refpetO; from an audience ; Mrs» Pritchard and Mrs. Worf ingtqn had ^aph
"^ great
I
Thd DRAMATIC CENSOR. ^
great merit in this part, but undoubtedly prefer- ence was due to the former ; who, with a figure m hippilf adapted, aftd left tivaeJty, ftai pH^ ferved the charader, without rendering the licen- ttous pafiages fb ofiTennvely intetRgibfe ; or dwin* dling fo much into the aflredted coquette ; of living performers, I can only &y, that Mrs. Barry gives Jatisfadion upon very juft principles ; yet I muft own 9 wi(h to fee Mrs^. Abington, who is happily devoted to comedy, and that alone, in- poflcflTion of this part j firftbecaofe her attributes are extremely fui- table I and next, becaufe the fmall number of charac- ters 0ie plays, does not often enough gratify the pub* ]ic defireof feeing her : in refpeft of Mrs. Lzssino* erKGHAM, who performs it at Covent-garden, I wi(h her a better income off the fbge than (he makes on it ; and (hould be very glad to fee Mri. Bulk- ley fill up her prefent caft ; which, tlio* confined^ is of too much conlequence to be dallied with.
Dorinda is amiable^ but not interefting i what could be made of her was to be found in the pla- cid, modeflr fenfibility of Mrs. Palmer, who, cho^ (he never could equal great undertakings^ allways made fcconds of this kind pteafingjy refpedable : every thing we wifli for in Cherry Mifs Pope fur- ni(hes ; but Mifs Ward, tho* ihe means we!!^ is far toa faint.
i 2 The R E-^
fk> The DRAMATIC CENSOlt,
THE RECRUITING OFFICER.
t
*
A Comedy. By Fakqjjhak.
T
H E opening of this comedy is peculiar in two refpedls ; firft, as no other begins in the fame tnanner ; and next, as its title is verified in the firfl: fcene ; there is one eflfential towards drawing cha- rafters in a mafterly manner, a ftrift intimacy with, and a thorough knowledge of the ftation of lif^ reprefented 5 this requifite Mr. Farquhar thorough- ly pofiefTed in the piece under confideration ; the military life he not only liked, but was himfelf immediately connefted with ; therefore we may naturally fuppofe his portraits drawn from flriking likenefTes, and are highly finilhed ; however, as examination will prove this pointy either for or 9gainfl: the author, better than fuppoOtion, let u$ proceed to axrandid trial.
The charafter of a good recruiting fcrjeant is as complicate for low policy, or more fo, than any other *, be mufl: have fmoothnefs and volubility of longue, feeming generofity, profeffed good-nature, pliable compliance to flatter different tempers, un^' blufhing confidence, unbounded lies, a ft ill con« fcience, and an unfeeling heart ; thefe qualifications muft be the teft of Kite's charafter.
The firft fpeech of this non-com miffioned ofBcer to the mob, is a mafterly piece of military elocu- lion J it touches with ftrong propriety upon thofc.
^ points.
the DRAMATIC CENSOR. €i
points moft likely to itnprcfs the fimple, the idle, tnd the diflfolute ; introducing himfelf to Coftar Fearmainy by oflfering his cap to* try on, and the countryman's apprehenfions of fuch an experiment arc highly in charafter; the ferjeant*s account of the bed of honour, the recruit's difguft at being fa luted by the title of brother) and his being footbed into good huaiour by fome compliments thrown out upon the importance of his figure, render this fcene highly pleafing.
Captain Flume is well introduced, as bearing h?s own drum ; but he appears to have a (Irange idea .of .fmart riding and expedition, when be (peaks of one huntdred and twenty miles in thirty hours r nt the enfuing fcene. Kite preferves his chara&er af humoui*, and throws out fome excellent ftrokes ia mentioning the recruits he has picked up ; one tH' particular conveys juft fatire, tho* perhaps hpt ge^ nerally underftood 5 fpeaking of a Wclfli parfon he has enliftcd, the captain a(ks, ♦* Can he write ?"• to which Kite replies, ^V Hum, be plays rarely ^^ upon the fiddle ;'V this alludes to a. fcandalous Circumftance then common, and I fear now 10 Be met with too often among curates in Wales ; I fiiean ftipcnds fo low as ten pounds a year, which occafioned many to work as day labourers 5 but; the nioft ufual method of ,. eking out fuch pitiful allowances was to keep hedge-alehou&s, and every lunday-afternoon, in particular, to amufe ^heir parilhioners with fome tunes on the fiddle : the circumftance of Mrs. Molly at the Caftlc feemi to have no connexion with {he piece, except to
01OW
fr» The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
ihow fome part of Plume's chara6ter» and to give a bint of the fbadows which freqacBClf fill up mili- t^H'y BHifier foUs*
Worthy whofe Mme is no otherwife exemplified ifi hia charadter than aG» a tame and wd maf Mid a finiple brer ; opens the impof tanc (ecret of his beirig in love; and Pkune wi<b iftUEb |)leartotry raUtds the romantic fwatn^ throwing oat bmi lifcMl ob- fervations upon liDve policy ; but whatever juftiec there may be in the following piece 6f advicd ; it k ttry unb^mcoitaing the due referveof a Ibige; the captain fpeaking of what he would do to win a coy fnifirei$9 fpeaks thus <* the very firft thing that I would do^ fhould'be to lie with her chambermaid ; and hire three or four wenches in the neighbourhood to Te]f)ort I had got them with chiid^'-^nor is a paf- lage fome lines after more juftiHable^ where meni^ €nit^ Sylvia, the honourable captain declares he Would have debauched her if he could, and conti'- nucs— •* (he was i pert obftinate fool and would lofe her maidenhead her own way*'~the anecdote ^ Sylvia's fending ten guineas to Mrs Molly doei credit to her feelings i and places her in efteem of the audience before (he makes her appearance.
In the next fcene the ladies are very well contrafted^ Melinda-s affef^ation of refined notions is verf genteely repulfed by Sylvia^ who plea(iRgly blends good fenfc with vivacity^— if any double cntendiie is allowable ; the foUowir^ would certainly appear fo but for the lufcious intimation of theatric expreOion i and the grofs enforcement of Melinda's reply— Syl- via fays—" I <;an do every thing with my father
but
The DRAMATIC CENSOR, eff
but ^wk and ffaoot flying ; and I am furs I can da eirery thing my mother could~-were I put to the tryar'^-^-to this her friend, without much dehcaey^ rejoins ^^ — ^you are in a fair way of being put toiti for I am told your capuin is come to town**— a- notjier paflage in Melinda's part of this fcene is to me highly cenfurable; to Sylvia's declaration of being tked of h^ fesf: the expe&ive lady replies-^^ yoa sm tired of an appendix to our fex, that you cant fo handfoin^iy get rid of in peticoats, as if you w^e in breechc6ii*'-^he fucceeding. altercation between the female friends is extremely well devtfed, aixi fup« ported wtih much vivacity — the retorts arife natu-^ rally from each other, ^nd run into pit pat dialogue which adequately performed, cannot SsHi to pleafe.
SyJvia*s retraat is well timed to prevent excefs, but a remark of Lucy's after Ihe goes oflF is in- fannoufly grof|--^Melinda propofes this queftion ^ did you not fee the proud nothing how (he fwelied \ipon the anival of her fellow?'* to which (he re- ed ves the following anfwer fpom her maid, who feems replete with the fame ideas as her delicate mif- trefs. ^^ Her fellow has not been here long enough to occafion any great fwelling" yet this and the other escceptionabk paflagcs I have pointed out might be very eafily foftened ; or if entirely omitted would be no lofs in point of Wit or humour.
Juftice Ballance who opens the fecond ad with Plume fpeaks in the true Engli(h (li)e, f6r it is cer« tain that the people of this iQand in general bear th^ taxes occafioned by war with great fpirit, when their fleets and armies furniih the news papers wilh a vi^
lent
$4 The DRAMATIC CENSOR:
kilt cffiuGon of bloo(j ; whi^h (bme may interpret at a mark of national inhumanity, but rather appears cp me the eficft of a noble fpirit, which pants for fuperxority in the fields of fame, and facrifices weaker feeBngs to principles of glory.
Plume's frequent mention of Sylvia interrupts the juftice's political bent pleafingly; and when Ballance fpeaks of a di(honourable deGgn upon Syl- via, as no more than fimilar to what he once had himfelf on a country gentleman's daughter \ the captain's diftinflion between a friend and aftranger ihews gratitude with delicacy of principle ; but , flatly contradicts his declaration to Worthy already noted ; which avows the defign he here difclaims.
Sylvia is well introduced and t he juftice called up-/ on conveniently to leave her with Plume i their en- counter is polite and delicate ; but tho' the author feems to have meant a refined compliment in the circumftance of the captain's will ; I cannot conC*- der it as any other than a very fufpicious one ; had it been fent to her on the eve of the battle, provifio- nally ; it would have been what (he calls it ; but to be the bearer of it himfelf, to make perfonal men- tion take? off much of the obligation ; the lady's hint of his lictle boy at the caftle is arch and pleafant, and Plume's following confufion very natural,
Juftice BaHance after fpeaking of his fon's deatl^. addreflcs his daughter with much intentional a(fe<5lron and prudent propriety, intimating that as her fortune is increafed from fifteen hundred pounds only, to twelve hundred a year cftatc -, he expefts her views (hqujj be. more extended, and defires her tb thinks
The DRAMATIC CENSOR/ 6$
no niore of captain plutne-^wh^n we fay that the jtiftice here fpeaks with propriety we only mean as a roan of the world ; for it is plain that the vanity of family connexions chiefly influences him, whicli many a father ere now has mifl:aken for happinefs ; befides if^ as he fays he could like Plume as a mere ion in law to receive fifteen hundred pounds portion, it is mean and mei^cenary tothmk him un- worthy the ^ fame lady with twenty thoufand ; nor can we conceive what idea he mufl: have of his ' daughter's mind, to fuppofe flie could from fuch principtes (hake off regard for a man ihe has en* tertained upon favourable terms — the favour aflced, ^ that Sylvia will never marry without his confent ; and his. promife never to difpofeof her without her own, are ftrdkes which give agreeable fehfations to ' a feeling mind.
Melinda's letter, which (he hints at the end of the firft a&, ftarts fome motives of perplexity by alarming tbejuftice with apprehenfions of Plume's defign upon his daughter, and the old gentleman's fentiments in cdnfequence of it are very fpirited y but we apprc* hend there are two intrufions upon decorum in the fcene with Worthy ; firft Ballance's charging him ' with privacy to Plume's di(honourable intentions ; and then refufing his author, which is cruelty to an innocent perfon ; nor does it appear from the letter that he is enjoined fccrecy; next Worthy's defend- ing to fuch a pitifull difcovery as picking up a bit of a torn letter, undoubtedly if a man of fpirit heard an injurious report raifed he wodld becominly infift upon an^ explanation i if the matter did not claim Vol I. K fuch
iuch feripus prx)ce4are| the £}(ne fpirl^ ^mM ferbim^ above ps^cping iniqfwgmcauof papcrr-ihe easpU^ oatioa arifing from the nmiter inftken MtUad^'i Iptter ratbq^ an «? rcfl^pcc,,^baa efl^nfi^lo t^« plofc. Kite and th? two re^rui^s (^(pceqd y^r% happiiyi to enliven the Utter pirt of f h« a^^ ^hlgh v« owft c^inftder as rather, dqll in ^he pfcp^iug ^jpf pe% j ijJUe. fong». the def(;ription of a ioldie^^f^ impoit^cc^ giving the recruits title* of dignity a#d inw<fein cing tb|^ lifting money under cplpur of b^ngtbe
Ring's pldl^rc are all adipii;a% well ifl?aginc4 v the ferjeant'3 explauatton Qf Carolus top i% u:vLy lapgl^ able ; Pluxne!s joiniiig, ifi their mjri^h a^d th? cqwi--. tryman*s fpirit of keeping on. hjs hat tp. Gipvf^ ip^ pendente are fukat^ly in charafter ; Kite's^rpugbni^ before bis officer oa th^ir mentiop of gpipg bope^. and the captain's interppfition on the fide pf Pear^ iiiain and AppMree is a true piece of rjecruiijiig policy^ which whil& it prpcnotcs^ humour in. tbe fc^ne caries on fucc^fi^fplly the defigj[i, qf; fecjadiig. tl|e men as voluntiers V th^ finefle of givjpg them> their choice tp go.or fiay ^terxrha^tUing; thf^ ferje^ok is^ excellent ; as is alfp the^p^e of fe^tipg Cp(}:^r;t(^ inveigle, iys fin^pjecpmpa^QO.
The merit of th\s fc^ne Jics in a v^fy.jfldiwpui^ hi^moi^ous Goqtraft pf . charadera wbpt W€;U kfipmi
li%, playir^j ugoq the. Qmplicjity.of.thofcrwha; di>:, not ; an4 it U fp niuch in> nature tbaijva) tborougb^ aojuaint^i^e with it^ amoqg ypung^ fellqwis* in t^ copntry, wQuI4 ^^^^tMnly mudi^ ia?|>$4^ (be; t^9f^ €^jfecrui£ing.n(ienrqA
!«.
Tift DRAMATIC CENSOR. €7
Plome and Worthy cbtamence the third Jidt viritk a fcene, no further wdrth notice than as k fliewt uPhime to hfave sr commendaUe indifferetfce for a 'WOOKun, wtfoft he iuppofes alter 'd in her affeit^ioA "bf a fre& ^tstfitbh of fortune ; and his gailtant- jng the cdbntry inarket^l» Rbfe, to prove hi^ frei^ dM ofhcirt^' » a very pleafihg pretty incident i in- ^4^ dveiy one of the charadters contribute to -heighten and aflift each other, and Ihe Ilory which KiCt tftfai^ irp to en^^ BoUock^s^ attention, while ^thecaptm Cakes off his fiflfer, is a cirramftkhc^ of bigh wrought hiimourr; Bulteck's complaint to thi JufticC. concerning' Rofe^ furtiilHesa very Idugha^ ideftent
ThcTpo^cy^trf introdiicmg^ new cfiaraft^rsUn tix Xikda&^ifhich #aarrcmarkcd upon fai the St a if • ^^Eif^'is bfetc iifed to very ^good pu>pofe ; BuU lock ^nd Rofe have been abvady broii^t forward^ as feafondblei^ntivtofcrs^ of the aAion ahi dialoi^e ^ ^ third now 4ppearSy4J)e&cedous Captain Brazen^ for whom I doubt nOt there were many originals iri Parquhar's tinrie, and I c6uld pofht out feveral of wcry fimUar features at the prefent day.
Thi^ milijtary fprigy whofe peculikr leadings dia^ ^^er^tci^pe^s t<> he unlitnited^ effrontery, is ex- hibiced at his firft entfante, and through the fcene^ wth n^uch/ ju<]gment, with fuch Heohg outlines^ as plainly- evince a greater ^are vof originate sty than inoagination ; )4s: tu^id addrefa ^6 Wor* thyi bis pert obfervation of the juftice;the for* ivard introdudion of binifelf to that gentleman ; bK turning the w^rd laconick, through ignorance,
K z into
69 The D R A M ATI C C'EN SO R.
jnto a proper name ; and his difcuflion upon t\ . name are ludicroufly whinificaK
The affeftation of a general acqa^tance ; thie jDoa(l of courage, and the rhapfodical fpkited narration concerning Frank Plume of Northacxip- tonfliire, are excellent ingredients to charaderize the empty, opinionated coxcomb i and Brazen's de^ parture fo confonant to his entrance difmifles him with gke.
Rofe exhibits a very natural pidure of that fim* pie pride and pleafure which we may fuppofe pof- fefles the heart of an unfufpefting country girl upon being addrefled by fuch a man as Plume i and her fpirited attempts at improved beha« viour before the juftice are extremelyv plescfant, as is alfo the captain^s attack upon her without feeing BallaiKe ; from whence an agreeable cOnfufioh strifes, which terminates the fcene laughably. , Modeft Mrs. Melinda, and her modeft maid 3Lucy next make their appearance ; the former, in her fecond fpcfecb, utters a fentiment which we may pronounce the e0en(:e of infamy, ^< Flanders lace «< is -as conftant a prefent from officers to their ^^ women, as fomething elfe is from their women ^' to them i" and the lattw- replies in a very know- ing ftrain, which her miftrefs takes care to enforce by explanation ; in ihoft, as this fcene has no ten^ dency but raifing offenfive ideas, I wi(h and recom- mend the omiflion of it : Brazen, in bis addrefs to the lady, and rhpdomontade declarations, prefcnts ^ diverting peculiarity of chara^r i and MeKnda's
The D R A M A T I C CE N S O R. ^
Encouragement of him, to mortify Worthy, fuits well a coqucttilh heart.
' Pfume's tipfy condition varies the aftion and dialogue of his charader fcafonably, giving him an additional fupply of fpirit and humour 5 but Wor- thy's fetting on Plutae to recover Melinda from his iJval, and Ihecring off ,as if afraid to plead his own tauie, (hew that gentleman in a very ftrange lights eitherf ool or coward at leaft ; the encounter between Flume and Brazen is whimfically imagined, and ge- jherally gives fatisfaftion; the lighing fA/vain conies in conveniently to take off his condefcending miftrefi, who kindly flies t6 him when apprehenfivc of dan- ger, and without any other retreat forfafety. ' Sylvia appears at this, point of time metamorpho* fed into the appearance of a young fellow, a cir- cumftance not very confiftent with delicate refervc/ nor even common modefty, tho'authorized by ma' ny examples in private life, and frequently adopted^ on the itage ; when iShakefpeare wrote, no woman « appeared on the ftage, therefore Rofalind, Imogen, Portia, &c. were well calculated ; bbt at prefent, T imagine plots might be carried on u^on mofe pro- bable principles of deception ; in this ftate, how- ever, Sylvia makes a very agreeable figure, and plays upon the rival odicers with great archnefs i in their feveral offers we find the author exhibithig keen fatire againft the army, when Brazen fays, ** you fhall receive your pay, and do no duty," the' lady makes this very poignant return, " then you, mud make me a field officer,'* and a little lower there is a moft excellent ftroke againft making men'
2 of
70 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
of HttleeducstiOQ and k& r^igioop milicary cbiip* lains.
Kite*s mediod of introduciogand pccommending; ^imfelf to the fuppofed recririt is highly artful^ aa4 lakiiig her off while the captamsare engaged a go04 fnctbod of terminating (he r^couptner ii^iihottt l^loodlhed; as. to Plume'a diftin&ion of fighfii^ for a man^ and not for a womaOi it appear^ to me irreconcileable ; anafiront is the fpur ta |h$iifur« ^d CO a maiv<tf Cpirit comes with equsil force .foiffll fjifcry q^arter», and without an affront,^ u& cttiraf real courage 11^11 draw his fword,. >
Roiie's commuaicatiQn of her intereflf whSi Fltute
to Sylvia in the $rft fqene in the fourth aA^ ia weH
li)trodtt€ed to aiacm that lady with j^oofyf ;i atid
ber method of (buncUng PlumVs real difpofitiM to^
awards the ^rl^ is natoral ; Bullock j cho* he h^Vbiil
:i.finall'f}iafe of the dialogue, ^eatly enlivens it <witii
t^ee or. foor humourous remarks. — I could wifii
Sylvia'ft reply^ to Rofe, when (he iay;^ will
^you be fo kind to me. Sir, aa the capiaiii
would,'* was more confident with the cbanu^r of
H young lady ^ Plume's »planatioii^ of bis clpfign
in gallanting ^ Role, is fatisfadlory to his miflire!6^
^^ exculpates* him from a blameable intention. <iip«
on-^unfufpcding innocence, Sylvia again goes too
&r^ when (he fays to Plume, ^^ lie with a commos
foldier! would not you rather lie with a common
woman ?** Melinda and Lucy, in their fhort fcene, drop
feme expreflions fimilar to thofe we have remark-
•d upon already— Worthy^, who> as it appears^
&ewed
The DRAMATIC CENtSOK. f%
i^iBe4 ^ lit^ tefentmcnt when the lady put bcriiblf under hi^protcdioa ; comes poflefled wfdi the faqae feeli^ and [Hays upon her paffion wkH fofse degree of good fen&, which draws^ her inM ibei dUrmma cf behaving like a vifj^o^ and pr(>^ diiceft aa unexpefted^: undefigiied receptioQ to Bra-^ 2&K vbich is the only material cireulnftanced arif^ kig from the interview between the lady and hef mwt loners.
Kite's appearance and condmfl: as a fertunt-teHer,^ is a noioft fatycical burla£que upon^ the credulity oi thofe. ^eak minded perfons who believe in the pre* ^Silm knoy^Itidge oEfuch gentry; bis appropria- 49iv.of (be.fan^mofiin^and deideS) to Qerreftl*ial cir^ QffmmQiWCtisi and ftations^ is a whimlical bam ap^ qi^hc^M;b^ntmyitholQgy I that fucoeffion of charadeni' t^. ayiibor ortgin^y brou^ forward' in thi$ fcenc itj90>mmiGhi.and( very properly curtailed' in reprr- fiMmtiopv toconfefsthe truth, except fome litdir; ulfU tOjthetplor,. and a joke or two about the^ JDevik ttti^rr the^ tahle^ there is nothing deferving noK ticc: i$ whaldtsmainsi
Plume^s difcovery of Melinda's being the Caufe' tlidt) ^IWa.was lent, intothe country, occurs agree- a^vi. and: the compliments he pays the fair fex f6r"^ htyif)g4U)tertaioed an injurious opinion ofher^ d6^'* fefv^iratter: a ibetter epithet tha» pretty ; however^'* Icppld^wUkthey bad notbeen twifted into rhime^ b^isMi'^.WaLKEs bvedto fpeak an epilogue to ^ eV€q^ a^ aod as : he pleaftd \ the audience, f^ar^ . cjuhar thought it a duty to pleafe- him; ^
At the beginning of the fifth aft we find Syl- via
n
yz The DRAM ATIG CENSOR^
yia in cuftody, and brought before the jufticc, as it appears, for . reducing Rofe; her intimacy with military weddings is not very charadtcrifticv for a young lady of fortune and genteel education i and when ihe fpeaks of- paying whores with a pinch, it is ftill a greater trcfpafs on due bounds ; indeed the whole fcene nneans little, and but for honeft Bul-^ lock, would be very infipid.
Mclinda and Worthy, according to conjuror Kite's predidion, Hieet, when after fome alterca- tion, in which he charges her with cruelty, and Ihe bim, with bafe defigns upon her virtue, which he repents not having put in practice; they patch up aftrange, unprincipled accommodation ; the three enfuing fcenes contain fmall matter of entertain- ment, nor is that of the juftices aAd recruits much to be admired ; Sylvia's behaviour before the bench, is^ confiftent with her defign of provoking them to prefsher; yet, fome of her remarks might as well have been omitted, particularly that when the con- liable charges her with a rape, and receives this re- ply, '* is it your wife or daughter, booby ? I ra- wifticd them both yeftcrday."
Brazen's rencounter with Worthy ; their feroci ous intentions ; their battle and no battle, with Luey's method of diOipating the ftorm fhew the author hard fet to accomplifli his cataftrophe, which is ftill more plainly evinced by Ballance's (hort in» terview with his fteward ; the remainder of this a£b hurrio^ on without any manner ^of fpirit, humour^ Wtricacy or furprize.
the DRAMATIC CENSOR. 73
To confider the plot of this comedy in general, we (hall fipd it vague, unconnected) and depending on very^ low /hifc39 the fragn[icnt of a torn letter being a main inftrumienH one remarkable incon- gruity is, that Sylvia (hould appear in a fuic of her brot|ier's cloaths. before her father without difco- very, thouj^^ find^ on the fteward*s bare mentioa of thpfe cioaths, he . immediately fees into the de- ception ; Silvia's contrivance of being giv^n to Plunge as a recruit, is a pitiful, equivocal method of keeping her promife given in the fecond aft, that flie would . never give herfelf away without her fa- ther's confent ; Ballance's way of foundipg whe- ther Plume is privy to the fcheme, and the cap- tain's generous method of difcharging the fuppofed recruit, to oblige his friend, are circumftainces of merit. AH the under-plot of Lucy is a mere make-lhift) and utterly contemptible.
Plume is an agreeable well drawn charader ;' fen* fible, eafy and fpirited ; poflfefTed of courage with- out being fond of fhewing it ; feeling to love yet free from amorous weaknefs, gallant but not vicious ; liberal in fentiment^ unafFeded in expreflion, and.dif- cngaged in aftion *, a credit to his author and a com- pliment to the army, confidered in this amiable light it i% not to be wondered that- fo few performers hit him. off happily in reprefentation ; the eafe of an accomplifhed gentleman, and the milder virtues are much more, difficult to exhibit pleafingly, than Iqw huniour, ftrong paffions or fafliionable vices — a vpry humane honed man may aflume fuccefsfully the tyrant or villain in full contract to ,hLS own na-
yoL, I. L cure s
<
74 ^hc DRAMATIC CENSOR;
ture ; but it is impofTible to put on the port and de- ftieanour of a gcDtleman, unlefs the alitor is really^ one, at leaft, in external appearance i the late Mr* Palmer was nDUch refpefted in this part, and in- deed for the dfunken fcene, defer ved extenfive ap- plaufe; but in all the reft^ had far too great a taint of the coxcomb, which was fo very natural to him in private life^that he could hardly ever (hake it oflPoa the ftage. Mr. Ryan, under the heavy difad- vantages of advanced years and a mod unfavourable voice,, fupported the captain with charafteriftic fpi- rit, but we mufk give Mr. Smith an undoubted fuperiority for uniform eafe, elegance and fuitable vivacity \ being the unaflfedcd gentleman in pri- vate life, he is neceflarily fo on the ftage ; and it may with critical juftice be faid, that he is both ai much and as little of an ador in this part; as any. one who ever undertook it.
Mr. Lee figured Plume extremely, well, and had confiderable merit in performing it 5 but from la- borious attempts, which are ufual with him, to make more of the charaQ^er ^than the author in- tended, he abated much of that pleafure the pro- priety of more fpontatleous adion muft give in this part.
Brazen is very happily contrafted to his brother^ officer i free without eafe, talkative without fcttfe, vain Without confequence, full of falfe fire, yet not without fome fparks of real courage ; Farquhar in drawing this military coxcomb, has preferved du^ refpedt for the army ; he has indeed rendered him. /jdicutousy but not contemptible j we may laugh
at
the DRAMATIC CENSOR, 75
^t his follies, but cannot frown at his vices^ for un- lefs fooie few harmlefs invafions of, truth, to flatter his own vanity, may be deemed vice, he does not appear to have any s as a gallant, he appears more venal than a^tedtionate ; as a companion, more diverting than rational, and as a tpan, more made op of unpremeditated whim, than fubtile defign.
The* CiBBEK was l^ no means inlipid in this {>art, but he often pleafed upon wrong principles, particularly here ; as he ran into the evident abfur* dity of adding Abel Drugger's grimace to the ele* gant deportment of Foppington ; both which are totally inconfiflent with firazen, and utterly incon- gruous to each other ; the fmart aad the beau are ^ach a diftinft fpecies of foppery, and fhould be carefully, marked.
Mr. Woodward, as in every thing he does^ difplays much pleafantry; yet, like the laft mention- ed gentleman, makes us laugh in contradiction to judgment, by uflng a fententious quaintnefs of exprefllon inftead of the precipitate, fnip-fnap, rhapfodical mode of utterance, as is plainly in- i;ended for the charafter i we muft alfo lament, as we fliall often have ocpafion to do> that fo many of Harlequin's mifplaced, paatomimical beauties Ihould be tranfplanted with fuch unlimited luxu- riance into the chafier fcenes of com«dy.
After faying thus mych of two capital come- dians, I hope it will not be thought partial to remark, that Mr. 0'BinEN*s perfon, manner, and execu- five powers^difplaycd ^he true Je ne feat j»^; of aft- ing J and that^criticifm had very little left to wifla for
L 2 even
4'
f6 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
I
even on hts firft appearance; though amore ticklilh part never fell to the lot of a young beginner.
Balance is a confiftent, fenfible, worthy country- gentleman* and, as drawn, much more becoming a commiflTion of the peace than many real magi- ftrates ; in performance, no peculiar excellence can be expefted •, however, Mr. Qum made him cxtre:mely refpefkable, and Mr. Sparks was (eve- ral degrees above any prefent competitor ; ihany parts affift the adlor, but this is one of a larger number which lie heavy on him •, therefore doing it ^uftice claims the greater merit.
Serjeant Kite, with moderate executive abiiities, muft pleafe, as he fpeaks to the feelings in every line i there appears WiiXt difficulty in reprefentation, and yet moft, who have undertaken him, vary from ftrifl: propriety •, fome turn hini into a noify bully, and others into a fubtle fycophant : 'that he is^ part- ly comprized of both we own, yet they fhoul^be fo blended that neither may vifibly predominate ; his cunning fhould foften his cortfeqoence, and felf- fufficiency render his art plaijfible. Mr. BEftRy— r a good aftor in fome things— was here heavy to a degree's Mr. Anderson quite infipid ; nor is Mr. Morris, though nearer the mafk by far, whi? we could wifh.
Bullock need not feek for a more adequate friend th^n Mr. Dunstall •, as to tjie Recruits, they are laughable fimpletdns, that feldom fail of proper ef- fp6l ; to diftinguifli any in theft parts, where all we have feen are fo much upon a levels would be partial, gpd fitting dowp the whole would be giving an un^
pcccfTary
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 77
necdTary catalogue of names, moft of which are but Itole and fome not at all known. ' Worthy, who in no degree deferves his name, be- ing void, 'is far as vftftej of virtae as well as vice^ is fuch an unfcafoned water-gruel, tame, pitiful lover, that he muft be an eftimftble performer who Ihields ^ him from abfolute contempt, which by a well-adapted placidity of performaijce; Mn Hull agreeably effefts, having judgment to inform him where mediocrity is merit.
Sylvia, the^ capital lady, has fpirit' and fcnfcir but the former runs her into female quixotifm, and the latter often dwindles into licentioufnefs ^ her difguife and the fituation it confequently throws her into is very iridelicate ; the fchemc by which (he obtains her wifhes, wild, improbable, and culpa- ble— yet while Mrs. Woffington filled this cha- rafter, there was not a more agreeable one on the ftage, equally degagie in the female and male fem- blancc, fhe raviflied in both j rendering even ab- furdities pleafing by the elegance of her appearance and vivacity of her expreflion j.as far as her figure would admit, Mrs. Pritchard was excellent: at prefcrnt, Mifs Macklin juftly enjoys a confider-- able fhare of reputation in it, having fpirit of ex- preflion, fenfibility of look, delicacy of cmphafis, and gentility of deportment.
Melinda is a vicious heap of inconfiftencies, with a ihallow head and bad heart, without a fingle cir-* cumftance.or fpeech worth notice, except fome which call for cenfure ; I .never faw any body cx- bibip her who defervcd the lead mention in criti-
^ cifm-»
y$ The DRAMATIC CENSOR,
cifm ; Lucy is an obfcure, worthlefs etx^iQe o( th$ undcr-plot — Rofe is a pleafing, well-drawn pi(aurc of riiral innocence and humourous ficnplicicy ^ in performance, I fhall fay juft the fame of her as of Cherry in the Stratagem.
The unities of time and place are. toleral^ly wcM preferved in this comedy ; but the plot has no trace of a moral, and the cataflrophe is huddled up with* cut any degree of poetical juftice^-^Sylvia* by the bye, a dangerous leflbn for young ladies— -in conr feqpence of hazarding her virtue, obtains her Wilhes — Mclinda gains the man flie has ufed infa^^ mouily, and Worthy gets the woman he would have debauched ; while poor, inofFen five Brazen is left, unrepining, tp folace himfelf with, twenty re-* cruits inftead of twenty thoufand pounds : in ihorc^ it appears that our author, whofe dialogue is unaf-^ feded and pleafant, conlidered entertainment more than inftru£tion ^ fo that I fhall venture to affirm^ the Recruiting Officer, though it may make us merry, both in the clofet and on the ftage, will ncvpr Icav^ ?ny ufcful itnpreffions from either.
MAC-
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 7^
MACBETH.
Written by Sha&bspeare.
P.
Reternatural beings afford the wideft, liioft luxuriant field for genius to fport, and ideas to ve- gitate in ; of this hting truly fenfible, and willing to give his mufe of fire unlimited fcope» Shakefpeare has in feveral pieces availed himfelf, but in none more- powerfully than the tragedy now before us ; how- ever, though critically we muft admire that charadte- riftic peculiarity of fentiment and expreffion which diftinguilh the Witches, if is neverthelefs ne- cefTary to remark, that exhibiting fuch perfonages and phantoms,, as never had any exiftence but iw credulous or heated imaginations^ tends to impref$^ ibperftitious feelings and fears upon weak minds ^ for which reafon, I conlider every dramatic piece which treats the audience with a ghoft, fairy or witch, 'as improper for^oung, unexperienced fpeo- tators in particular; if, as is well known, old wo* men3 ftpries of fuch,. imprefs a timidity upon every child who hears their terrifying tales, a timi- dity which lafts to the conclufion of life ; may we not infer apprehenfions of their having a more forceable affedb from being realized on the ftage.
l^ may be faid; that interdiding fuch poetical auxiliaries would cramp genius, and deprive us of many unparalleled beauties ; to t^iis tne anfwer is |tlain>^ that nothing which has not a gpod effefl:, or
ar
«o TKe DRAMATIC CEl^SOR.
at le^ an inoffenfive tendency (hoi^ld^e deemed beautiful, or (land in eflimation.
Frorh what is thus prcmifed, we hope, no other charge will be laid againfl: Shakefpea^e, than the barbarous and credulous tafte of the tiikies in which he wrote, and to which he fubmitted, with pofliblf an oblique delign of flattering the favourite opi- nion of Jati^s the fifll ; yet allowing this to be. really the cafe, it cannot exculpate his preternatural beings, asi fuch, from rational cenfure for the rea-- fons aflfigned above, notwithftanding the author bad hiftorical tradition ^ countenance his intro- du<5lion of them ; after this general, and, we hope, juft obje£tion againft the weird fifters, we are to take the piece as it Hands, and confider diftin^t- ly its feveral component parts.
Macbeth commences with all the apparatus of terror — a ftorm ! a defart ! and three withered hag$ of little lefs than infernal appearance ; their ihort con« ference is full of meaning, and a kind of oracular obfcurity ; their fuddcn difappearance gains a de- fire in the fpec^ators to fee them again, and to know in what fort of bufmefs fuch extraordinary agents are to be employed •, but I know not why they ihould fink under the ftage, immediately after pronounc- ing thefe words, ** Hovft through tlie fog and " filthy air.'^
The King' i; appearance to bear an account of the battle *, that account, related by a wound- . ed officer, jpirith fuch energy of dcfcription, and ; fo much to the honour of Duncan's generals;, are good preparations to pgfief$ us of the heroic
part
The tJRAMAtlC CENSOR. St
part of Macbbth's cKarader-^but why this expreft of yiflory Ihould be fent by fo imperfeift a meficm- ger as one, whofe pounds, yet green, wanted the afliftgnce of a furgeon, I cannot think ; if the whole relation had come from Rofle, it would have been rather more fuitable, and would have given his charafter fomewhat more importance. ^
The witches, at their next meeting, queftion each other concerning their feyeral employments, and the
«
replies fhew them pregnant with that diabolic tna- levolence which is charged againft them ; the threats vented agatnft the failor, whofe wife had refufed* one of them chefnuts, ftrike every feeling mind with fympathetic terror ; their prep;iration for Macbeth has ibqiething myftically foremn in it;
The notice taken of thefe odd appearances by Banqup, is fuch as would naturally occur to a man of fenfe and fpirlt s and their alternate climax of congratulation to Macbeth much in chara£ter ; him they bail in plain and pofitive terms of prophecy, which throws him, very judicioufly, intoaftateof filent and confufed refleflion ; the author well knew, that no words at this period would equal the niofe fuitable Ipeech of countenance and adtion ; therefore makes Banquo, whofe open, didnterefted heart takes no alarm, fill up a well-adapted pauTe of the principal charaifter, by queftioning the fillers coticerning himfelf ; their replies to him are flatter- ing, but senigmatical, and feem to roufe Macbeth CO a curiofity of further information, which. How- ever, is properly checked, for this time^ by the departure of the Witches : in his fpecch to them.
Vol. I. M ther#^
^ The DRAMATIC CETSTSO^.
diere appears kn obfervatfon lAeohfiOtbf 4hli vriutt is tnenciohed in the ptecedtng Omti Macbeeb feys,
But haw of Cawdcnr? ThetbaneW GiwdorKvet
Apr9jper}us geiHkman.
An unfuccefsful rebel taken priibnei^ W Cavr4 dor muft be, by Dancanls fentencing of him €» death) could not juftly be called profperws^ tU pecially by the general who has lately overthrown him, but this is by no means a material lapfe % wbait we Bnd a little further on, fhews more firar^e confulion^ when Macbeth obfeives^ that Cawdor lives, and afks,
WKy do yoii dre(s m^ iabtr bprrow'^rob^ i^
Angus makes this' reply,
— — Who was the thane yti lives. But \xtAet heavy juclgmept bears that life, AVhicblic defervesto'lofc— whether "he Ivas
Cbttlbkt'd with NotWay, or did line the rebel With Bid<feri help' ^nd ^vantage ; '6r, that' With bdtit Hekbdiir'd'in his eouhtryV wreck,' i kno\lr nbti Btie treafons eapttal, confeis'd, and prov'^ Have overthrown him.
It is worthy of remark^ that Angus was prefeor when Rofle particularifed Cawdor's rebellious con- dud to the king, notwithftanding he here exprefles^ iuch ignorance of thecaufeof his impeachment.
Macbeth's feelings upon this unexpedled acqui- (Ition, verifying in part the predidion which has been fo lately pronounced to him, the dawnings of ambition which break out upon his unconneded me- ditation, are extremely natural ; but his adverting to murther, for obtaining the ftace of royalty in
view
^iev, flicw l^Qirmich too; Aifccptiblc of villwiottt
TM^ are tn^f clfcufhftfnoes tnd. csxnisi to fapng iidioufr thie mof|; unfhougb; of changes in hu-> than affai(S» wiierc%e that man who preaiidttatei| the woi^ means at firft, mod have by nature a ^eep dq>ravation of heart; and fuch Maebech will appear infefbed with from the whole of that fpeech which bcf^s ^ Two fiiiths are told,'' &c. n9(witb* ftanding focpewhat likcpaUiatiQaisoflTercd ip two or tbnoplinffs ^ iixd^ed bis concrluuqn feeix^s tobapjlh what
^itk frpip fj^qdl^tpr^ bis b^rbarpuf i^eg^ fo rud:dienlj^ CQoceiT^d ; I have dw^lt upon this circqmfta^ce t^ l^rcnQtboi v^y opiniQP» th^t (he. aptjior m^pant tq dra^ him a detj^ftable n^oftert which fOme critic^ liaYi^ ra(b^ difputed* allowing him ^ gei)e|ou^ difT pofitiqn, which we $nd no in^ance of ; qye^ the confcientious ftru^les which we (h^l pf^^^tly[ fii^ hiai Ql^^dr «5it|H ipig^t arJf? iii. the nv)ft vill^nQW i»frti|r|!-^K<^ does a bad ai^k^n prefir, ^tci^f or wi^hp^jc knpwip^ it ^ be; fecb, n^ajf ftand in fome meafM.ri; ^^ciif<sable i bi^t wlj^cn a mai^ has fcrufttjiovii^ weigb^ *iyf^ ^^^^^7^ cirf^jjtp/tance in the laceft ka\e of nsfle^ipii } a^ i^ ^ d^er- «i9n«^m vh«F q^ursi gr^tin^d^! ai|4i9ffiijc«, frauld »10W» ^ in«ft l)(f j^opnppfcd of t]ie^ worft nsjreriafe. . •JFo CJorrpb^r^tg the gepccf^, Idea of M«?bccb*s cb*- fa<%r, vUf h I hftv^ here offered, ap^ w.bi«?h, will Ik enjyged Mppri v»licn ^? go thrp^4 «k 1i*<4ei jjie^c i 1« as vifiw him in t^ v^sry new fc^i^ wlKye
«4 The DRAMATIC CENSOR. -
after a moft cordial reception from the king, with unbounded promifesof future favours, he i$^fo pof-* fdTed of his bafe puipofe, that, void of e^en common gratitude, be replies, upon Duncan's ^ap- pointing Malcolm prince of Cumberland,
The prince of Cutnherland [ that is a fiep On which I muft fall down, or clfp o'er-lea{l : ^ ^ . For iq my way i^ lies-r-Stars hide your fires, ]Let no| night fee my black and deep dejires | Xhe eye wjnk at the end — yet let that be, Which |he eye fears, when it is done, to feie.
' From this pafiage it appears, that not tontent with thefimple ide^ of regidde, he determines to cue
off the whole fa^nily, in return for being ioadb4
•
with honours by royal favour ; and at the veVy iii- ftknt, when this, unfufpe£ling monarch and frren4 places; hinhfelf ^ipon his hofpitable reception ; if this does not prove Macbeth an exception to the fy^ tirift* s remark, Nmo repente fuit turfijfims\ I do^nt Jcnow what can, " ' ♦ ;.
• tikdy Macbeth, and her huAand's letter^ are ju- diciouQy introduced, but fure fuch fympathetip barbarity was never in nature, as fuddenl^, on the Ifi'ftkilt,' breaks out in thefe words^
' ^ 61ami$ thou art and Cawdor-r^anc) Ib^lf bi^ • ' ^ ' What ^hou art promifed.
What follows accufes Macbeth of a milky foft- pefs in his nature, of which he does not feem atall poflefltd; *forunfuccefsfuI ftruggles of confcience cannot juftljr be called fo ; however, that he may •ppt hgve the whole load of aggfayated guilt to bear aldne, our author has made this matchlefs lady—? I lament fp deteftaljle. though ^ poflible pi^uit pf th^
. The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 85
f fmr fex--exert uncommon talents of temptation % on hearing of th§ king's vifit, with moft unrelent- ing precipiution of thought, (he dooms the royal Vififlaar— Her invocatbn to fpirits of evil influence is worthy of a powerful imagination, and Mac- beth's interruptiveentrance, extremely well timed, but we muft offer fome depbt whether the word blankef of Ac dark, does not convey a low and im- proper idea.
Macbeth's mention of Duncan's approach with^ out making any previous reply to his wife's cordial recepdon, is a natural efFeft of what fit^ neareft his heart; and her coming to the main point at cmce, is well devifed for working him ^p to htr great purpofe ; her confining the fendmenjt of mur* Cher in le(s than a line, and warning Jhiip to dif- guife thofe looks which appearltoo intelligible, rm-* prefs us with a ftrong idea pf her policy, aa does her fecond hint of Duncan's death, and prpmii^g to take a great part of the dreadful bufinefs on herfeU The Ihort fcene before the c;aftle has nbCking ma- terial in it, except the following truly poetical] re- inark made by Banquo ;
— This gueft of fui^imer. The temple-haunting j^rtlet, 4oe8 approve By his lov'd mafonry, that beavVs breath 3mells wooingly here — ^No jutting freeze, Buttrice, nor coigne of 'vantage, but this bird JHlatb made his pendant bed, and procreant crs^I^ : Where they moft breed and haunt, I faave obferv*d. The air is delicate*
Lady Macbeth's drained compliment to the king fid;^ 9^0 merit| as being natural, no truth being
more
1$ Th^ DRAti^ATfC CJ^^^SfOl^
t^ WW tl« fajr^fc finite.
wm^fpMh op ii)o4e of q^cflipp oouklriim ^9 iuitablQ 9^ tb^t 0^ (blilofmf ; itcW^rp ^ b^wiMx hawcucif, tNt!CWr great a^tbpi;, RMrfuifigcqqgy^ M ito^ inipme* ipntencfl ^^r'd uppp, p^^rity^
peated on the ftage, where the ear muft iqeviu^ l^ WQ qHV^k fof cooceptiQa: in m ajtcrat^qp, ot
fatp^e a(teni|<s tjo render cbq Ijr^s I fpqak p^ mpr^ ipt^J^bl^ i?u^ lllfo moft ot^ei; p{ui4phraf9$, ^hcj 46flFpy tt^ ciflbiuf t %irit.
. Jh^ ti^Sk^^mf t^% if h^ cpuU h\iK gairveafe cnreninthi^ li(Ct: b^ woidd juQi]^ cbe life to^qapof, isrratbef w'^ldlx impk^is; but th^ ipcvicable tendgpr r4 p^ipiftin^nt: of a ^pnfciencc Ipaded with gijtilt i$ very ^ir^ ^. cpmmendably in^yl|pated i the argUT gVinentf fpi dppUving the (number 4re fa foroeablei th|S^ vififk^ I'V^ ^be mcft^ hardened heai^ pfder fDch cpavi^iipo^ would procted— Where he. S9r« ibnifies pity» and mounts her aftride on the Iflqfi^ fancy t^es a very vigprpqs flight, nor dcus e^i^pref- fion fall bftfvath, yet I |p afraid t^M^ leave pro-, pricty behind, the foibwing lines s((e iQ my opii^n very exceptionable.
-r— I have no fgur To pric|$: the fides of niy intent, but oiilj Vaulting ambition, which o'er-ka|>8 itf^lf J^dfi^QHtbA other. ^
IV dMbddf t1ttMM$, ! that QlbMMM May ^be 'k j^ to|)trkk its fides, fcMs iMr&nik^flfb b!Si#lefi|iie ; and tKen furniiig'llte j^Hr 4fito rMeHber tl^» ^^fttt it may vault over, AtAotd Xii /:gAm of
^^/, con^bora^ li»^idea; iodecd A^ fliould always end at
The deep damiiMbitMdf his ukiAg^ off.
For pity — heaven^ ehertfbimaAd' ambition, all upon the full gtllbp, are ftrat ned figUi:es at ^ leaft ; not at all adapted to a man "detiberating upon one elf the'fou^eft, Mi>ft^ «6U^tt.
' Ludy Ma^cbeth icomti to fpeak in leather ^plainer tettsis ; ^et, ttnlefs^e allo^ gitat la^tude )Df 6xh |>feffi6n, what follows evidently admits of ob^ec- lion.
^Wksih^ hope drunk
It t » *
^iWerein yoa ditft yourfelf ? Hath It^flept fince, And'Waldci itnowto took (b pale^and fickly^
Suj^pofewc^afsover the literal acceptatibn oF %9pf ^ bring tfrunk, furely we muft blame a lady of Aighr rank for defcetifdmg to fuch a vulgar and' nau^ !feous . alhi&on as the paienefs and (icknds dfun in- ebriated ftate ; nor is her comparifon of the cat 1^ the adage mucfa more the effeft of good breeding.
Macbeth*s reply to the very groFs rebuff he ha3 juft received is as concife, fignilicant and fk)ble a tme as ttVer was uttered 5 but his bloody-mindcA -virago's next fpcech, towards the cbndufiont bounds humanity with fuch a feqtiment as no wo-^ Iri^n fiiQuld utter, nor any Tatioaal being bear ;
yet
y
09 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
yet that ftrapgC) horrid pidure of dafhing a foiil^ ing infant's braij^s out^ aiid laying a plan for com* pIi)qateddeftfu£tiQa» ocpafions Macbeth to fay
Bring forth men children only,
For thy undaunted nietalihouldcDinpQfe
Nothing but males.
Should hcnot rather have faid^ _^
Bring forth fierce tygers only. For thy relendefs nature ihould cooipofe , Nothing but bcafts.
If it (hould beurged, that fuchfcharafters have been^ ^ and may be ; I iliil contend, that they are ainong the frightful deformities and eflential concealments of nature, which (hould be excluded from the ftage.
The midnight interview of Macbeth and Banquo at the beginning of the fecond adt, very properly uflicrs in the dreadful bufinefs then in agitation ; that prophetic heavinefs of heart mentioned by the former, his prcfenting a freflimark of favour from the king to lady Macbeth, his fpeaking of the three weird fillers, and Macbeth's affefiing to flight the remembrance of them, tho* not very obvious, are :yet confiderable beauties : I could heartily wifh this paflage did not occur
^ — — ^ There^s huftandry in heaven.
Thtix candles are alLout
, What a poverty of idea and expreffion! yet wfc ^find the ftars called r^^i^/ifi by our author, in bis Ro- meo and Juliet alfo — how much nM)re worthy of hinv felf and of his fubjed, is what Lorenzo calls them in the Merchant of Venice, pattens of bright gold f
In
TJie DRAMATIC CENSOR. 89
In Macbeth's foliloquy, where a vifionary dagger Arikes his mind^s eye, the abrupt introdudion of that alarming objeA is very judicious and beauci« ful ; nor can any thing be more natural than the eScd it has on Macbeth, which .is moft admirably defcribed, and ftrongly inxprcffed by a nervous iucceifioQ of breaks, which^ for a dozen or four- teen lines, xife into a powerful climax of confuGon —the momentary paufe of unclouded reafon which relieves itnagination from her painful load, and the quick return of coward confcience diverfify the fen- timent and adtion in a moft interefting manner; the pifture of midnight, as favouring witchcraft, rapes and murther, concludes this inimitable foli- loquy with a due folemnity of terror ; a foliloquy of fuch unfpeakable merit, that, like charity, ic ttizy apologize for a multitude of faults. Lady Macbeth, at her entrance, gives as a piece of information not very defenfible, uniefs it is meant as Tome palliation of hercharader — thefalfe fire of liquor, for which (he feems to have very little occaBon, mull be, in her fituation, rather a dangerous rcfource : the remainder of her fpeech is happily disjointed by earneft expedation and jealous apprehenfion. — The remark, that a likenefs of her father in Duncan's deeping appearance, prevented her from doing the bufmefs herfclf, lets in a gleam of humanity upon this female Bend.
The entrance of Macbeth, bis high -wrought
confufion, and every fyllable of the enfuing fcene,
exhibit an unparallelled combination .of judgment
and genius, calculated to awake the 4rowficft feel-
yoi^.l N ings
90 The DRAMATIC CJENSOR.
ings, and to alarm the moft rcfolute heart— the pidure of the grooms crying but in difturbed dreams — one " Heaven Wefs us, and amen the " other/* with the inimitable defcription of ffeep, and the idea of nature's general friend being mur*? thered in that fleep, are aftoniftiing efforts of men- tal ability, and, for fo much, certainly place Shakefpeare beyond any degree of comparative merit.
The rcfufal of Macbeth to go again into the fcene of blood, is an apt ftroke of well-timed re- morle ; indeed his bringing the daggers from the place they (hould have been left in, is an extreme well-judged mark of confufion; however, I would rather have forfeited that inftance of judgment, than have heaped fuch favage inhumanity upon the female ; her boaft of having hands crimfoned like thofe of her hufband, carries the offenfive colour- ing ftill higher : what fucceeds, on the interrup- tion of knocking, is exprcffed very charaftcrifti- cally.
To what end Shakefpeare could introduce (b ini congruous a charafter as the porter, who is corti- mendably omitted in reprefentation, I believe no mortal can tell -, at fuch an interefting period, to turn the moft ferious feelings into laughter, or ra- ther into diftafte, by a ftring of ftrainsd quibbles is an infult upon judgmenr, and muft fill the imagi- nation with a chaos ^of idea — Sdme more fuitable paufe might have been made to give Macbeth time for compofing his ruffled figure ; the (hort fcene between him, Macduff and Lenox, is well calcu-
' lated
Tl^c ORAMATiC CENSOR, gi
latcd ; Lenoxes remarks upon the night are very confiftent with thofe furperftitious principles, on which this play is chiefly founded ; and Macduflr's exclamatory entrance difcoycrs Duncan's murther properly.
The fuccefllve entrances and exits of various tbarafters, the real grief of fomc, apd the feigned forr ow of others, Macbeth's apology fpr bis. poli- tical ftroke of killing the grooms, by an affcft* ing piAure of Duncan's fuuation, and the rapid re- folution of enquiring judicially into fo unaccount- able an event, are all well arranged and happily ex- prefTcd ; l)ucthe amazing precipitate flight of Mal« colm and Donalbain, without any apology, ex<^ cept the paltry one of inftantai^qus fear, places thrfe fprigs of royalty in a contemptibly light, and its eflFcd on the ftage proves the juftice of this re-^ mark; for when one fays, " Til to England,'* and the other comically replies, " To Ireland I,'* nine times out of ten, the audience are thrown into a horfe-laugh.— ^I could wifli this circumfl:ance was altered, as it eaflly might be, by giving a few fp^eches of fpirit and dutiful affe£lion to one or both the princes, expreflive of their particular de- termination to difcover, and revenge their father's death ; which might be over-ruled by MacdufF*s reprcfentation of the danger they ftand expofed to, and that for their greater fecurity it would be better to retire, till the unavoidable convulfions of ftate were fubfided, or till proper meafyrcs could he taken to eftablifli the legal fqcceflion ; this:, I appjrehe^d^ would have carried them off with fome
; ' N 2 grace.
at The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
grace, whereas in their prefcnt difpofition thef make fuch a wretched figure, that we can fcarce forget it, when Malcolm appears to a0ert his right at the head of an army.
The continuation of omens between Roflfe and the old man feems to have little meaning unlefs to keep reflection in an unremitted date of terror ; and un- ufual events are catried to a very ftrange pitch in- deed,- when Rofle aflerts that he was eye-witnefs of Duncan's hories eating one another.
Macduff's account that Macbeth is already named and gone to Scone to be inved^d with royalty, is a great trelfpafs on time, their being tut twenty lines, or thereal;)outs, from the Jiealing away of the princes, as it is properly phrafed, and his acicount of every thing being thus fettled in conS> quence of their fuppofed criminal efcape.
Introducing the witches at the end of the fecond ad is a very feafonable relief to a feeling mind^ from the painful weight of horror which fome pre- ceding fcenes mud: have laid upon it ; and, in fuic- able muflc, they continue the ftdry predidively as a kind of chorus ; their rejoicing in the rtiifchief al- ready done, and that which yet lies in the wonib of time, fhews a difpofition worthy fuch agents as the fubordinate fiends of darknefs.
Banquo's refleftions, with which the third ad be- gins, are well adapted to the circumftances 5 and ahd his doubts of Macbeth's elevation by honour- able means, natural ; as is alfo his adverting to the prophecy in favour of his^ own pofterity ; the new king's frefh profcflionsof fricndihip to, andhofpi- 2 table
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 93
table invitation of his former colleague and friend, fix, if poffible, a deeper ftamp of bafenefs on his charafter 5 but at the fame time exhibit ftrength of policy; and the fucceding foliloquy points out, nervoufly, motives for a frelh inftance of barba- rity ; the firm untainted dignity of Banquo's na- ture, joined to the prediction of his childrens fuc* ceffion to the throne, are ftrong motives of jea* loufy to roufe the blood- ftained ufurper's unrelent- ing difpofition, which takes the fure, though mean« e(t method of removing his fears, by afifaflina- tion;
In refpefl: of Macbeth's fcene with the mur- derers, I apprehend he ufes too much circumlocu- tion, efpecially as we perceive, by what he fays at their^ entrance, that thofe ruffians have been made acquainted with a main part of the affair. Ban- quo*s oppreflion of them ; being poiTtfled of this, does it not feem more natural, . that the tyrant would after this line, *' We are men, my liege,'* immediately come to, •* Both of you know, Banquo is your enemy;" than run into the uneflential, digreffive, though juft comparifon of men and dogs ? I know it may be urged, that murtherous intentions are communicated with flow and jealous caution ; this is undoubtedly the cafe in particular characters and circumftances.— -It is mafterly to make king John wind about the difpofi- tion of Hubert gradually, he being a perfon of fytnt confideration and doubtful principles ; but for Macbeth to expatiate fo much at large, with fuch fellows as he fecms to pick out, appears a wafte of
words ;
94 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
words ; had there been any paffage to indulge the author's fancy, or to favour the performer's a^lion and utterance, then a little fuperfiuity would ftand particularly excufeable with an audience ; and find lome indulgence even from a critical reader ; as the fcene (lands, I have ever obfervcd it to pall in re- prefentation.
What fucceeds between Macbeth and his lady is well adapted to their unavoidable perturbation j but would have fallen in better as a continuation, than making two diftin£t fcenes ; Macbeth's exit, after the murtherers have left him is fuperfluous 5 every thing he advances, in this (hort conference, fliews a ftriking, poetical, yet natural pidure of mental gloom and heart-felt agony; his invocation of night, and defcription of its folemn approach, are pleafing effufions of genius.
The fcene of the murtherers, Banquo's faH, and FIeancc*s efcape, is partly trifling, partly Ihock-it ing> and feidom fails of proving laughable ; I wilh fomething better had been fubftituted, and the cir- cumftance referred to a relation of it by the mur- therer, I could alfo wilh, that decorum had not fufFered by fucb a ragamuffin's entrance into a room of ftate, amidft the whole court ; I appre- hend no neceffity for this, and am therefore induced tp blame it.
ConGdering the place, hurry of fpirits, &c. I am bold to cenfuxe all the following fpeech, except the firft heniiftich, and the laft, marked in Italics ; tl^tey are much certainly as any man, fo fituated,
would
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 85
would have faid, therefore what comes between is furperflous.
Then comes my fit again-^{t \i?ii elfe been perfeft. Whole as the marble, founded as the rock. As free and general as the cafing air ; But now Vm cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd^ bound in To faucy doubts and fears.)— 5«f BanqUo's Jafe^
Mad the affair been communicated in a pbopet place, the difappointed ufurper might have thrown out much more extended, fpirited remarks on the ill-Wding failure of his foremoft wi(h ; reproaches on the murtherer for executing his charge imper- feftly 5 execTations againft fortunej for throWinj^ any painful rubs in his way ; with other matter^ which might have been fuggefted, would have adi ded much, at leaft to the afting merit of his cha- rafter.
Banquo's ghoft, whieh, without being too ludn crous, we may call the raw-hedd-'and-btoody-bbnes of tragedy, is ncverthelefs well ihtroduced to thitiW Macbeth into thofc violent agitations which nature muft feel, and fuch as furnifh e^ctenfive powers to almoft unlimked fcope to fhew themfelvcs 5 elite * words of both Macbeth and 'his lady Are beautifully
•
applicable through the whole fcent-, which (Con- cludes, fo far as the ghoft is concerned, whh as forceable a climax of impaflioned terror as ever any author penned 5 the refleftions which follow, in the conclufive part of the fcene, are fuch as na- turally arife from the fubjefl:, and are nervoufly cx- preflTed ; Macbeth's decerminatioh to confult the witches, plainly indicates the agitation and weak-
nefs
1
g6 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
nefs of a guilty heart and a fuperititious head ; I Ihould be glad to know how he is fo well acquaint* ed with their places of rendezvous, as to know ex- adly the fpot of confultation.
The witches receive, in the following fcene, a (harp rebuke from their fuperior, Hecate, for deal- ing in any mifchief which did not originally fpring from her ^ fhe delivers herfelf in a fanciful ftile, and opens with propriety their bufinefs at the pit of Acheron.
That remarkable incantation, which begins the fourth a& ; the myfterious ceremony pradlifcd ; the emblematic ingredients collefted for enchant- ment^ and the arrangement of them, (hew a more peculiar luxuriance of fancy than any other author ever compared into fuch narrow bounds ^ the mu* fie alfo, as in two forpier fcenes, has a very jufl and pleafing effe<%.
Macbeth's mode of addreffing the witches feems too much of the compulfive ^ influenced by, and giving credit to fuch beings, we may naturally enough fuppofe his approach would have been in a milder ftrain i however, he brings to view a num- ber of ftriking images refpeding their power.
A number of ftrange, indeed very ftrange appa- ritions, or fucking ghofts, prefcnt themfeives, and deliver flattering, dubitable predidions, well cal- culated to miQead credulity ; and Macbeth's eager- ly catching at the moil favourable interpretation, ihews coward confcience, like a drowning man, catching at every broken reed for fupport ; the long train of (hades, reprefexiting the fucqeflipn of
royalty.
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 97
>it>yaky, h well enough calculated to imprefs addi- tional uneafineis upon the tyrant ; but fuch a fuper- abundance and variety of fpeftrcs, palls even tcr- ror, fatigues imagination^ and oflfends fight: a dance is very well introduced here to relieve at ten-
Cion.
One would naturally fuppofe, that Macbeth had Csjoycd a fdl fufficiency of fuch agreeable company, yex we find him rather difpleafed that they are gone ; the intelligence of Macduff 's flight to Eng- land is well thrown io to give fpirit and an opening of bufinefs ; 'his wife and children being devoted to de- firu<Slion in confequence, we might reafonably ex- pe& from what has been already (hewn of Mac- bath's jealous, impatient cruelty.
The neao: fcene of Macduff's lady and fon, where nurtherers come and demolilh the latter in view of the audience, is, if I can be allowed the phrafe, £irdcally horrid ; as difgraceful an oddity, as ever invaded Shakefpeace's mufe, and therefore with great juftiee omitted in reprefentation.
The fcene between Malcolm and Macduff is very happily conduced ; a politic fufpicion makes the , former reprobate himfelf, that he may come more perfe£tly at the thane of Fife's real difpofition ; whofe honeft, patriot principles mufi: ever warm and ^eafe attention^ thofe reflexions he throws out on vices which fliame and endanger royalty", are in* ftrudive and beautiful ; his fhort pifture of the late king Duncan and his queen, to roufe the prince, [ th^ ion to emulation, nobly pathetic ; and this proving the key to unlock Makolm's- referve,
Voic. I. O ihcws
9^8 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
ihews great judgment.— A doftor, brought iir merely to introduce mention of Englifh Edward's power to cure by a touch — that very dubitable cir- cumftance of tradition — is at beft trifling,, or a pal^ try compliment to the reigning monarch ; nothing at all to the matter in queilion, and only breaks in abruptly upo» a very interefting continuation, I mean, ^he heart-felt intelligence that RoiTe brings of the fatal tragedy a£ted in Macduff's family; his firfl fpeaking of general griefs, the miferies of Scotland, is a well-judged preparative for a more confined and peculiar concern, relative to one of the charafters prefent ; indeed, MacduflF's enquiry for Scotland, before his wife and children, (hews great magnanimity of mind ; and Rpflc's diffident manner of revealing their lamentable fall is fenfibly humane y hence the fcene, by degrees of mod: ex* zA proportion,, prefents a climax of grief which never fails to work a general and fuitable eSe^ and concludes with a pleafmg, fpirited denunciation of revenge againlt the blood-ftained ufurper ; thus the fourth a£t terminates, leaving, as eyery fourth aft in particular fhould do, . an impatient ex^ peftation. imprelTed upon the audience for what [ muft follow.
Lady Macbeth's phyfiqian, and one of the ladies of her bedchamber, beg)n the fifth ad, with a few preparatory and pertinent fpeeches, for a circum- dance not expeded ;. the tormenting effeds of a thorny confcience galling that female fiend beyond all power of difgqife or compofure, a circumftaiKe (he more pleafing', as it approaches us unawaces, and.
beau*
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 95
1)eautifully vindicates the juftice of providence, even here upon this bank and Jhoal of time.
Walking and fpeaking, while actually afleep, has been verified by many hundred inftances, there- fore her lady (hip is brought to view in as juftifiable and afFefting a fitnation as could poflibly have been imagined — her disjointed mode of fpeaking, the imaginary fpot on her hand — the con fu fed ap* pl^henfions of Macbcth^s timidity, fimilar to what Ihe expreffed at the time the adion was really com- mitted ; and the explanation thrown in by the atcen-- <jants are admirably combined ; we may alfo ven- ture to pronounce the heavy figh flie vents, on de- Ipairing to clear herfelf of blood, a ftrikingefFu- iion of a guilty heart; her departure is finely and moft -naturafly precipitated "by adling over again the confufion which arofe from knocking at the gate. Four loyal leaders appear next, as on their way to join the lawful prince ; their converfation has little material in it^ fave properly acquainting the au- dience that the tyrant coops himfelf in Dunfinane caftle, beleagured with his crimes n;iore painfully and clofely than by his foes.
Macbcth's exprefFions at his entrance moft plainly evince a difturbed brain and forced refolution 5 fly- ing for fafety to the prediction of the witches is a well-timed, additional proof of that fupcrftitious weaknefs, which, ftimulated by ambition, has hur- ried him into all his guilt and confequent misfor* tunes.
The expreffions he w&s to the fcr vant or ofBcerwho enters with intelligence of the Englifh army are low
O z and
661816 ^
iQO The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
and grofs, far beneath even a private gentleman t and why Shakefpeare fliould make a monarch run into fuch vulgarifms is not eafy to guefs '; for the rage or grief of a king (hould always preferve pe« culiar dignity, without which the author cannot boaft a cbafte prefervation of chara£ter ; the fol- lowing fpeech, howevtr, makes full amends for a thoufand venial flips ; the breaks in the two firft , lines a^Ford a beautiful variety of aflion, tones of voice and countenance — thofe which fucceed are as fine declamatory reflexions arifing froni the con- fcioufnefs of guilt and general diflike, in a fenfible man, as fevered criticifm could relifli ; nor is it ^afy to determine which claims preference the fenti* ment or verfification.
Take thy face hence^-^Seyton— I am fick at heart When I behold— Seyton, I fay— This pufli Will chear me ever or difeafe me now. 1 have Ihred long enou^ i my May of life Is fallen into the feaf , the yelloW leaf. And that >^hich Ihould accoippany old ^ge. As honour^ love^ obedience, troops of friendd, J muft not look to have i bbt^ in their ftead, Curfes, not loud, but deep, mouth^^honour, breathy Which the poor heart would fain deny, but dare not
Macbeth's reply to the ph^fidah, on hearing of his lady's flirong mental indifj^ofition, is nd le(s worthy of capital genius^ no lefs fatisfaftory ia fpeaking, hearing or reading :
Canft thou not minifter to a iitiind difeas*<), •Pluck from the memory a rooted forrow ; li^e out the w'rittfti troubles of ih^ brain s
Andf
Thft DRAMATIC CENSOR. loj
And, with fome fwecti oblivious antidotSi Cleanfe the ftuff 'd bofom of that p«nleU9 loid^ Which weighs upon the heart.
Nothing could be more happily mtl-aduced frocn the iridrate they iheblcate^ and the paufe they give to Marbeth*^ rage, than the two fbl-egolhg fpcechcs ; they are a dltlely relief to the pcrformer*s expref- fion, which otherwife nlufl: have been kept too much on the ftrain, and a delicious treat to every intelligent mind amongft an audience.
The fcenc which follows^ fo indeed every inter- mediate fcene of this a£t appears, only ferves to bring the cAt^ftf bphe nearer to view, ahd to cir- ciiirtlcribfe the pHncipal chafaftet within harfowcr bounds; th^t eiptdtsLtion of his fate may take wing imohgft the audience r-they exprefs a firmer, tho' not fo outrageous a fpirit in the aflailing par- ty, and therefore appear as a natural eontraft to the defenfive fide.
Macbeth, at his next appearance^ again breaks out with fiafhes of falfe fire, vaunting the im- pregnable ftrength of his fortrefs, — Notwithftand- ing we have exprefled, and really entertain a diflike of frequent quotation, yet fo (Irong a temp- tation lies here in our way we cannot refid it % and the more readily give way, being fenfible that every reader of refined conception will rather thank us, than pafsany cenfure,— Befides^ having pointed out fcve^ ral paffages which, we apprehend, of a contrary rta^ ture — it feems a neceflary point of juftice to the author. — Upon hearing afcreamof women^ Mac- beth obfervcs,
102 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
I have almoft forgot the tafte of fears ;
The tivtke has been, my fenfes would hare cooFd
To hear a night-lhriek ; and my jfell of hair
Would, at a difmal treatife, roufe and ftir
As life were in it — I have flept full with horrors —
Direnefs, familiar to my flaught'rous thoughts.
Cannot once ftart me — Wherefore was that cry !
Seyh The queen, my lord, is dead.
Macb. She (hould have dy'd hereafter.— There would have been a time for fuch a word« To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow Creeps in a petty pace, from day to day. To the laft fyllable of recorded time ; And all our yefterdays have lighted fools The way to dufty death. — Out, out, brief candle! , Life's but a walking (hadow ! a poor player I
That flruts and frets his hour npon the ftage^ And then is heard no more.— It is a tale, Tpld by an ideot, fiill of found and fury^ Signifying nothing !—
The foregoing fpeech has the firft principle of intrinlic merit to an eminent degree, moral inftruc- tion ; an equal number of lines never yet exhibited a fuller, more compleat pifture of the vanity of human life; and our author has, with great ad- drefs, again ufed the method of reaKzing his cha- radler, by making Macbeth fpeak of the player as a fiftitious, tranfitory reprefentative — The tranfition upon a meffenger*s entrance, whp mentions Birn- ham-wood as moving, is truly fine ^ Macbeth has reftcd his fecuriry upon the fandy foundation of equi- vocal promifes, and now, the broken reeds falling away one by one, he plunges gradually into the rage and depths of defperation ^ his refolution to 2 Mly
The DRAMATIC CENSOR; 103
laliy out Teems rather the effeft of fatal» inevitaUe cteftruflion than real courage.
The bufinefs now encreafes, and juftly hurries on to a rapidity of material events i the tyrant is, as himfelf aptly expreflfes it, tied to a (lake, and therefore through compullion muil fight ; as to the combat, wherein that unfledged warrior, young Siward, fails, it feems to have very little bufinefs in the piece, unlefs to encreafe a torrent of blood already exceeding all due bounds.
Macduff's encounter with Macbeth raifes expec- tation to the very top of its bent ; and juftice fits trembling in every humane bofom forjo eflential a facriBce to her as the tyrant ; the intrdduAion of Macbeth* s fole remaining hope, that of being in« vulnerable to any perfon borri of woman, (hews « gre^t judgement, and bis feelings, on being told the fallacy of his charm, are expreffed in very apt terms. — Why the author chofe to execute fo great a culprit behind the fcenes, thereby depriving the audience of a mpft fatisfadory circumftance is not eafy to imagine ; death certainly is made, in this inftance, too modeft ; and the bringing on a head defeats every trace of the author's new-born falfe delicacy*— the prefent mode of repreftnution is much better.
What follows Macbeth's fall is, like the remain- der of every tragedy when the plot is revealed, and the principal characters are difppfed of, a mat- ter of very little confequence ; therefore is con- fined, as it ought to be, within the bounds of ju- dicious brevity i Malcolm, however, gives a piece
of
104 Th« DRAMATIC CENSOR.
of hiftoric information concerning the firid' inftitu- tion of earldoms in Scotland, which a tythc of everf aiidience would not eUe know.
As Mocbeifa, in reprefentation, dies before the audience, it appeared ncceflary, according to dra* matic cuftoff), fo give hkn fome conclulive Knes» wiiich Mr. Garrick, as I have been told, has happily fijpplied, as noticing would be more fuita- ble or ftriking, as to make him mention, with dy- ing breath, his giiilt, delufion, ihe witches, and thofe horrid vi^ons of future puniihment, which ftiuil^ver appall and torture the laft moments of fuch accumulated crimes.
It has ^en already hinted, and may be laid down as an Irrefragable maxim, tiiat moral tenden- cy is the firft great and indifpenfible merit of any piece written for the ftage ; in which light I am afraid the tragedy before us, though a favourite child of genius, will not hold a very diftinguilked place ; fate, neceffity^ or pred^ftination has em- barrafled the moft inqifative philofophers, Ihe moft p^ful thcologifts, and ftill remains matter of much perplexity to tbofe who endeavour to devdope it ; Shakcspiare there^fore, who was no doubt, an able monalift, ihou}d have declined any fubjeft which glanced an eye that way, yet we find his Macbeth firongly inculcates power of predi&ion, even in the WQr& and moft contemptible agents ; inculcates a fupernatural influence of one mortal b^ing over an- other : It is but a very weak defence to fay he only wrote According to the accepted notions of ^bofe imts from whence he drew his plotr-admitted^-'
but
Pf^
the DRAMATIC CENSOR, m$
btic whsfteiFer fends to weaken reafon, to mifkad tte underftandiflg^ and tntimidate the heart, fhould 001 be tifed as a (ubjed for ckamattc compofition^ whkrb adorns fi£tion with her mod perfuafive liharms $ weak minda are ever more liable to re^ cctve pirejudicia]^ than advantageous impreiTions i wbcxefore, any charafter, incidents, or fcntiments, which may work the former effed, fhoiild be in« duftrioofly avoided i if the ftage, upon ibmie occa- fions^ does not improve^ it Ihould at lead leave an audience no worfe than it finds them, equally voiding vice and credulity.
That I do not charge our author with pro*" mulging principles of faulifm without reafon, let me produce two paflages^ exclufive of the prophe- cies, which are derived from that fource— at the end of Lady Macbeth's firft foliloquy, (he fays All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and nutaphjji^al aid doth feem To have crowned thee with. . Macbeth alfo,ju ft before the murderers are intfo*
duced to him in the third aft, exprefles him felf thus To make them kings ! the feed of 3anquo kings ! Rather than fo, come fate into the lift. And champion me to the utterance.—— The very word fate, if it has any meaning at all, canboaft but an unfavourable one to moral fitnefs;, it is a term crept into common ufe, and eftablifhed by cuftom •, how frequently do we hear, upon the accidental or violent death of any perfon, this ab- furd remark made — it was his or htv fate — a mi- nute inveftigation of this point would run me into an unpardonable digreffion from my propofed fub-
to6 The D R A MAT IC C E N SO R.
je6t, wherefore I have only darted fome hirits: for abler critics to elucidate or fet afide, as may feem fit; and (hall only add, that the plot of Macbeth^ though the unities of time and place are much in- fringed upon, does not ftrikein reprefentation with any offenfive ideas of improbability ; but rifes by very juft degrees to a cataftrophe, which is well wrought up ; the moral is the fame as that of Richard the Third , fhe wing that a guilty conscience is a conftaat tormentor, and that a royal, as well as a private murderer is obnoxious to punifliment.
Among the natural characters, if Macbeth and his lady defer ve fuch an epithet, there is very little va- riety or contraft ; all the okh, except the principal, are tolerably honeft ; as to the heroine, fhe ftacrds alone.
To delineate Macbeth is not eafy ; the author feems like Prometheus, to have made a man of his own, but to have ftolen his animation rather from Hell than Heaven : by the account we hear of him, previous to his entrance, magnanimity and courage appear confpicuous in hisconduft ; yet, no fooner does he prefcnt himfclf, but with all the weaknefs of unpraftifed youth, he receives a ftrong impref- fion from old women's prognoftiqations ; and with all the aptnefsof a ftudied villain fuggefts the molt pernicious praftices, which from that moment^ with a very few flight intervals, take entire poffeflion of his heart ; from his future proceedings^ we perceive him more aftuated by jealous apprchenfions than found policy ; more influenced by rage and defpa- ration, than any degree of natural refolution ; cre- dulous
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 107
duloas, iinpatienr, Viridifbive, amUcious without a Ipark of honour ; cruel without a gleam of pity — in Ihort, as compleat a tool for minlfters of tempta- tion to work upon, as ever fancy formed, arid too difgraceful for nature to admit amongft her works.
However confidered in the view of theatrical aftion, there is not one perfonage to be found in our Edglifli drama, which more ftrongly imprefles an audience, M^hich requires more judgment and greater : powers to do itjuftice ; many pafiages are intricate, Tome heavy, but for the greater part, pow- erfully : inipaflioned ; the mental agitation he is thrown into, requires expreffion peculiarly forcible, of a&ion, look and utterance, even fo far as to make the hearts of fpeAators fhrink, and to thrill their blood ; indeed, every afliftance from externals is given the aAor, fiich as daggers, bloody hands, gbofts, &c. but thefe muft be treated judieioufly, or the effed, as I have fometimes feen it, may take a ludicroustum.
Through all the foliloquies of anxious reflexions in the firft ad ; amidft the pangs of guilty appre^ henfions and pungent remorfe in the fecond ; through all the diftraftcd terror of the third ; ail the impe* tuouscuriofity of the fourth, and ail the defpara- tion of the fifth, Mr. Garrick (hews uniform, unabating excellence ; fcarce a look, motion, or tone, but takes poffeflion of our faculties: and leads them to a joCt: fenfibility.
As Shakespeare rifes. above himfelf in many places, fp does thishis greateft and be(l^cot)[unentator^ wb9 not only prefents his beautie to the imagina-
P % tion,
^o8 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
jtion, but brings them home feelingly to ^e, iicAt i f moDg 4 tboufand other inft^nces of alaigft ittx^or xnantic mtrit^ let us turn pvir r^cplle&ion of)}y, to $ few in the charader of IV^c^eth ; who •ever iaW the immortal aStox ftart at, and trace the imagk.arjF ^agger previous to Puncap's murder, without em- bpdying byfyippathy, unfwbftaptial air into the ^ Jar(ping (hape of fuch a weapon ? Whofcyer betrd the low, but piercbg notes of His voice when the ^ed U dom^ repeating thofe inimitable paiTages ^hich mention the (leeping grooms and ipurdi^r of Peep, without feeling a vibr.atiQn of the nerVes^ Who ever faw the guilty diftrai^ipo of features to ^umes on Banquo's appea-rance at the fe^, with- out facrificing reafon to real appr ehenfion from a fnimic ghoft y who has heard his fpee^h, affci xt< Reiving his death wound, pttered with theutfhoft 9gony of body and mind, but trembles at the i^ 9f future punifhmcntji and almoft pitiesjbe escpii'ing wretch, though ftajned with crimes of the dccpeft 0ie?
. fheatrical performance to mod fpeiSUtors appeari 9 mechanical difpofition of limbs, and a' parotted mode of fpeech \ fo indeed it really is too oftei^ but intrinGc merit foars far beyond fuch narrow, bn?^ fen limits, (he traces nature through her varioui windings, dives into her deepeft receOes, and {hatches ten thoufand beauties which plodding mer thod can never difplay 5 the dulled comprehen*- Ifion may be taught to enter on this fid^ or that 5 tQ ftand qn a particular board \ to raifc t;h? voice here.
ip^j
The DRAMATIC CENSO R. 105
Bod fall it thH€ ; bot uiilefs motion tnd uttj^ranee are regulated by a cultivated luipwledge of Ui^, and ifilf born intell^nt feeliogSy no greater degree of excellence can be^ stained than unaflfeding propri* ty. 5 Jikc a fair field whofe native ferrilky offcMl pro- duces a beauteous luxuriant crop of fpoiltaneousr ve-* getadon, wbiich art can only regulate, not enrich i Mr. GAitRicK^s matdilefs genius not only capti- vates onriportive fenfes, but alfo furnilhes high re- liQied fubf^andal food for our minds to ftrengthen by.
Mr. Qvivtj whofe fole merit in tragedy was de- elamatton or brutal pridCj was undefcribably cum* berfeme in Macbeth $ his &Ce, which had -no pof- fible variation from its naturd grace, except flern- pefs and feftivicy^ could not be expe(Sbed to exhibit the acute fenfations of this charafter ; his figure was void of the eflential fpirit, and his voice far too mo- notonous for the tranfitions which fo frequently oc- cur i yet, w^derful to be told, he played k feveral years with confiderable applaufe. - Mr. Sheridan (hewed more variety bf afting in this part than any other, and made an aftonifhing good ufe of his limited powers ; without any ex- aggeration of compliment to that gentleman, we muft place him in a very reputable degree of com- petu>n ^th Mr. Gar rick in the dagger fcene, wd at,the fame time confefs a doubt, whether any performer ever fpoke the words, " this is a forry figbt^"^ bettcr.*-as to the third, fourth,Jand fifth afts, his meaning well, was all we could ever perceive tQ recommend him.
Mr.
tiO The DRAMATIC CElfSOK.
I4r. Barry as ^h capital ador—iridecd a very capital ofte in his pfioper caft, made,^ inour com^ pircb^iifil^ny but a lidcewarm affair o£ Macbeth, his porous harmony of fettut-es and voice, could but faintly, if at all, deCcftbe pafliotls incident to a ty^ rant, in fuch circuoiftances as. he is placed. ; htsconn* manding Bgtire, and other fequtfucfs^ pteferved hiin iironxbeing^nfip^d^ though:f^r bene^Jiimrelf; .
Mr. ppw5LLT--light li^ the afties. of the refpeft* able dea4T— w^ tseyoiidj d^ubt, pirtially received in this tragedy ; the rcquifice force of expre0iqri and 9 ,prpper difppfuipa:of feaCures- were ti^ndrig ; ^ftcr thcmurder, his feelings; d'v^indkd into a kind of boyiHi whintperingy^nd his countenance rather dcfcribed bodily, than mental pain i in the /third aA, he feemed unequal: to : the arduouS; tatk of de>- fcribing extreme horror, ^nd in the fifth, Macbeth'a weight ^f defparation bore him down ; even ther fo- liloquies appeared too fententioufly heayy for:his:ex^ prefiion ; as his playing the part was cert^nly matter of choice il^I am Torry he ever nliftook his own abi-^; Jities fo.much, nocwithftanding he met public in- dulgence, a compliment, in fome meafure, due even to the failings of a performer, who ; dlfplayed fa much intrin0c merit, as he did oa nK)fe fuitable. occafions, . .V , ' ?
Mr. I:3(oLLAND, that induftrious, ufeful, labo- rious^. imitative aftor,: idolized his great inftru6tcr- too muph to beany thiiig original ; in Macbeth we deem him particularly unhappy. j , aiming to be great, he, firequently loft, all trace, of. charafter. : un-.
: T tunably V
I
The DRAM AT I C CENSOR. 1 1 1
<unably ftifF in all his declamation ; mechanical in adion ', ungracious in attitude ; afFefbed in feeling ; ^inharmonious in tones ; irregular in emphafis j and wild in paflion ; yet having an agreeable perfon, Significant afpeft, and powerful voice, he often pleafed his audience, and kept attention aMrake, while judgmemiwas obliged to flumberj or fcefc fafety in filence from popular prejudice*
Aitiong nlany theatrical circumftances much to be lamented, is that terrible neceflity wbitrh forces Mr. Smith into an undertaking fo oppofite to every one of his requifites, except figure 5 we are confident his good fenfe agrees with us, that fad* dling him with the part is an impofition upon that good nature and integrity which ftimutate him to work through: thick and thin, for the fupport of Covent Garden houfe.
. Macduff is a part of no great adlion, except on difcovery of the King's murder, and the fburth aft fccne ; Mcffrs. Ryan and Havard both did him great juft ice, yet we muft be of opinion that Mr, Reddish depifts him with fuperior ftrength and beauty ; his feelings are manly, yet tender ; fpirited without excefs ; and to us convey whatever an au* thor intended, or an audience can wifh.
Banquo's chief merit is as a ghoft 5 here Mr. Ross made the moft ftriking, pifturcfque appear- ance we have ever fcen, and with peculiar grace even beautified horror : All the reft of the men in this play are unworthy notice. - Lady Macbeth, as to the deteftable compofition of her charafter, has been fufHciently animadverted
on .
i
J12 The DRAMATIC GENSOlt,
pRi therefore; little more is necefiary tb^n to dbktve^ that though there does not appear much call for capital merit, yet feveral firlt-rate a£b*efies hav^ made but a languid figure in reprefenting her.
Notwitbftanding Mr$«. Wqffinot.on was ex* tremeJy well received, and really did th^ part as weU as her deplorable tragedy voice would admit ; we mud place Mrs. Pritchard foremoft ; who made a very }ufl: dtftindion, in the fcene where Banquo*s ghoft 'appears ; between reproving Mac? beth^s behaviour with paflion, or the ana^iety of ap*^ prehenfion^ left he (hould betray his guilt ^ this lat« ter method Ihe happily purfued, and here,^ as well as in thefleeping fcene, gained manifeft fuperiority^ Mrs. Yates, at prefent, comes neareft the point oi praife, but certainly difplays no very confpicoous merit in the character; and to mention Mrs« Barry would be to injure her, as it certainly does not a^ all coincide with her capabilicies^
The witches I fhould take no notice of, but for a fuppofed amendment in Ipeaking and drefling thofe characters at Coveot Garden ; as beings out of the courfe of nature^ Shakespbare fur- nifhed them with a peculiarity of fty}e, why theii (hould we not fuppofe he meant a peculiari- ty of deportment and utterance ?J He certainly did, as much as for Caliban ; a languid proprietf of natural exprelTion deftroys in them» pleafing and charaderiftic oddity — ^as to drefling them in the Sybillic tafte, it makes them rather Roman than Scots witches, ^nd facrifices eftablifhed na- tional ideas, at the fhrine of falfe decorum, for-
• 3 did
n^ieST";
Ihe D^lAMATICCENSOil. 113
did appearance, ugly features, and advanced age, dubbed any female a witch in the times of credu- lity-; even now, a very dJfagreeable woniany^ bent with age, and virrapped jn , fiUhinjcfs, is ftigmatized with that title, though not lb fcrioufly, north of the Tweed ;.p^y, Macbeth himfclf ftiles thttrTMbf hags, raoft .certainly alluding to perfonal appear- ance.— If an alteration of drefs is to take place In this play, I could . wifti the charaftiers were dreffed in habits of the.tihdes, which wpuld be pleafing, afid we apprehend neceffary. V ^; . i
Macbeth, fpr its boldnefs of fentiment, ftrength of yerfification, variety of paffions and preternatu- ral beings, defer ves to be effeemed a firft rate trage* dy, containing a number of beauties never exceed- ed, and many blemiftes very cenfurable ; daheer- ^ pus in reprefpntatjon, as has been faid, to weak . minds ; unintelligible to moderate conceptions 'in ..many places, »upon perufal ; therefore, chiefly calcu- lated for foundvjnderftanding, and eftabliflicd rcfoJu- tion of principles, eitheron the ftagcor in theftudjr.
TH,E
114 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
tHE BEGGAR'S OPERA, ' Written by Gay.
N
Otwithftanding we confcfs a partiality for m»- fic whetv jt is coir/pofcd of fwect, fignificant and perfuafive founds,, yet the Opera, ferious or comic, but efpecially the former, is a fpecies of the drama not at all defenfible ; it carries abfurdity in its front, and abfolutely puts nature out of counte- iiancti to prove this would be fuperflupus, as we can- npt pay any reader fo bad compliment as to fuppofe that a fingle hint does not bear fatisfadory convic^ tion.
Shocked as every man of real tafte, feeling and genius mull be, at the predominance of thofe dear-bought» uneflential exotics, Italian operas. Gay had a mind 10 exercife his unbounded talent of fatire againft them; and that goo4 fenfe, a little embittered, might go down with a more fafhionable gout, as . apothecaries gild pills, he called in mudc to his aid, and fuch muOc too as was relifhable by, not caviare to the million ; thus, as I have read of fome army, who defeated their enemies by (hoot- ing back upon them their own arrows, lo he (truck deep wounds into the emaciated fignori of that time, by (hewing fuch fterling wit and humour as they were unacquainted with, decorated with the reigning tafte of the day-^r-the. thought was happy, the execution equal to the deHgn, and the fuccefs fuitable to both.
In
w^
The DRAMATIC CENSOR.. 115
wggar s Opera*
In the very name of thi^ piece, the author fecms to have ifTued z keen (haft of ridicule, and making the author a beggar is a noble farcafm on fortune and public tafte, which have fuSered mod excel* lent talents to pine under a thoufand difadvantages, of unmerited penury and even contempt ; no one knew better than Gay the neglcd which too com- n^only attends, literary merit *, he knew, felt, and with great poignancy of expreHion declared it.
This piece opens with Jonathan Wild, the reign- ing thief-maker and thief-taker of that time, under the title of Peachum, perufing his tyburn-rcgifteri his fong, in -eight lines, contains more Qf the fpirit of truth and fatire than would animate fome poems of eight fcore ; the fucceding fcene with Filch ex- bibits many excellent remarks, and his account of the gang when looking out for proper facrifices, is |)0t only an admirable, but a very ufeful piAure to the profligate j Mrs. Peachum's expreffions of plea* fure, that there has been no murder committed for fome time recommend her to favour ; and Peach- urn's reply, (hewing what money will do in criminal profecutions, is^ I am afraid, too juft ; mentioh of Macheath naturally falls in, and we are pre* pared to receive him, at lead, as an agreeable high- wayman : his attachment to Polly comes aptly into the converfation, and the plot very properly begins to dawn.-— Speaking of Polly's being in love, Peachum difcovers a very fuitablc felfithnefs, and where he remarks of what fervice flie may be to fcim, by afting on political principles^ the exprcf- .fion^ as well as fome preceding ones, glow^s .wi;:h
Q 2 fatiric
U6 The D It AM A T I C C E 1^ S'OI^. .
latiric meaning—" My daughter to nie IhdUld be, *' like.acourt-IacJy to a tainiftcr of ftite, i kdV tb* ^^« the whole gang."
Mrs. Peachum's fcene with Filch hi^s nbtftidg buf feme ftrokes of low humour to recoftimend it, yet in that light is very fatisfaSory, ^nd always WOfkif ft very lagghable efFeft. x
Polly is introduced by her father under fuch cir- cumftances as engage favour ; her mother's vio- . lent entrance is much in chat'adtcr 5 the famtirig too,. and the remedy for it, are powerful burlefque on fimilar incidents to be met in graver pieces ; the daughter's filcncc on her marriage being difcovercd, is a very probable effefl: of confufion and appre- henfion, nor does a word of the confequent dia- logue fail of due influence \ the impatience of the parents, one through pride, the other through in- tereft, give a fine opening for Polly'is delicate, in- terefting apology of a fincere pallidh for the mati (he Kas married 5 and Peachum's defign of taking off his new fon-in-Iaw, feems the growth of a mind fortified againft any feelings of humanity.
It is matter of wonder how feveral of biir gay ladies and fine gentlemen can hear the following Ipeech without blulhing confcious guilt ; " If flic *^ had had only an intrigue with the fellow, why •* the very beft families have excufed and huddled *' up an affair of that fort ; 'tis niiarriage, huf* " band, that makes it a blemifh.'* What Peach- um replies has a luxuriancy of merit, ^^ But mo- " ney, wife, is the true fuller's earth for reputa* «* tions J there is not a fpot or ilain but whiat it can
<* take
The B^R AM At 1 6 G Kl^'^ O'ft. ny^
Bihar's Opera.
'^ take ouc^ •/' whkt briHiantj wft* gieft«'al, what? compared fatire I mounted on the unfhakable batS)^ dftrutftdotttSiis (Bert! frhtiinctf cbrrfaift P Htow-ef- lEtitiaily fbperidrto an affirt ilatiOrt e^f lihe fente tnffe^ dldnts a'Ad N&, Footers pfedfimt^y ^ to the j^rtltKfete^ iWfr.^ eo&nah's M^n knd Wife, ^hich- diflfercnct ii^ only mentioned here to (hew how much the 6appy tfititigfit of one man of genius rtiay be enervated by paffing thrbbgh the iniaginatiort of morfier.
The parents endeavouring ta perfoade cfceir dafaghtfer that ^n impeachnfietit of the niati ffie tovcs, aftd is fifer hufband alfo, nrtuft: recommend her to fheir favour, has fomcthing in it (hocking, yet ^ords a very engaging^ pathetic tranJitron in Pol- ly's character ; and her foliloquy upon hearing un- feetl the plan for Macheath's deftruAion, dcfcrvcs ftiuch better delivery, much more expreffive features than it is in general fjlvoured with*^the breaks arc fine, the fentiments tender, the defctiptiOh livdy, !ill dreficd in a naivete of language, which finds a paflTage to the heart, by nature's aid alone.
'f he hero is brought fortvard tvtth great advan- Vamige, the bold fpifited fymphony which intro- dutes him has a fimilar efFedt to thofe flDuri(hes of martial muftc in fome tragedies, and he comes Very opportunely to give the firft aft addrtionat life towards its conclufion \ Polly's diftrefs for his freftfnt 'danger, vdry naturally difappears at the figlit dnd afFedtionate addrefs of her hulband, but with equal propriety foon returns again, with a variati- on tvhich'pleafingy touches the audience; his re- In^ance to -fiy, and hi^SjRnder refolution to part for
tiS The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
Beggar- sOpera*
z time rather than hazard his fafety, ratfes delicate feelings.
As only the firft fong has been particularized, k, may be necefiary to obferve, that to avoid repetition as much as pofllble, all the muGcai part will be taken notice of in our general view of the[pxece, on doling the remarks.
In the firft fcene of the fecond ad we are pre-, fented with a fet of charafters not at all refpedable by profeflion, yet* amufing, and fomewhat inftruc- live from their converfation, which however we deem too full of found fenfe, and genteel, keen fa*- tire for fuch perfonages — befides there are fome fo* phiftical juftifications of highwaymen, rather dan- gerous for difTolute minds ; in thej drama this ihquld be rarely mi^ddled with, as natural vice gains more confirmation from delufive (hew and falfe ar- guments, than natural virtue does from moral in- ftruftion — however placing even thieves above courtiers in friendly attachments, as the author has judiciouQy done in what follows, muft conliderably palliate the objedUon we have raifed : 6ne fays, •* Whois there here who would not die for his friend ?" another replies, *' who is there here who would betray him for intereft ?" To which a third returns, ^* Shew me a gang of courtiers who caa fay as much**. *Tis very plain from this, and many other inimitable paffages, that our author knew courtiers in general exceeding well, whatever his knowledge of thieves might be.
Macheath's fhort interview with his gang meanis
nothing more than acquainting them with the x^j^r
' foa
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 119
Beggar* J Opera^
fon of his difappearance for fome time ; by Mai o'che Mint*s mentioning Moorfields as the place oi their rendezvous^ we may Iearn» that part of the town was then as reputable as fome fpots of it are at prefent. — What fucceeds this fccne, previous to the introduflion of the ladies, and their converfa* tion, however natural, are by no means proper for public reprefentation ^ the dialogue has great fpirit^ and is Enlivened by feveral fmart repartees, but the fubjeft of adion, and the charadters are fo much founded upon licentioufnefs, as not to be defenfible ; iinproper prejudicial ideas mufl: arife, and we hear- tily condemn the whole from this principle, that vice is never more dangerous than when (he fmiie$» covering her deformities with a veil of pleafantfy.
Indeed, apprehending Macheath in the midft of his jollity, by the treachery of two proftitutes, may convey good warning to fome who aflbciate with fucb wretches \ yet we are apt to think this fcene is more apt to enflame the paflTions than to corred: the condudl of youth ; and delicate tafte muft be offend- ed at many feotiments too grofs for its tender reliih«
Lockit's reception of Macheath, and his re- marks upon the fetters at difierent prices, Ihew the gaoler in true, humourous, yet fhockk^ colours j it being a miferable perverfion of juftice to treat culprits not according to the enormity of their crimes, but ftrcngth of their pocketS«-r^he perplex- ity of Macheathr arifing from his apprehenfion of Lucy's reproaches, falls well in, and her timely appearance confirms his fear ; however, we muft ag)iin pafs cenfure upon our author for making Lu-
mo rTfce DRAMATIC C£NSaR.
Beggar^ J Ote^.
.fy fpefk.of.ber.Jjoad of iofamy i from a'promijc bf .marrUge and her jeaJoufy pf PoI|y EwchiMsn, rt|ic ^plotn^ght Jaave beea fviTicJept^y wrPWght up wj^- .jQut allufiQps fo very fepfgal,, I. ipcan^with x^^t^^o
^, the, audience ; Macheath's endeavouring to Jop.th
^hcrinip a^gpod- humour that iqay fervc hiij^^rticp-
Jar.purpofe, , though ungcnerowjs, is polite sand ^in
.charafter 5, the words wjiich.l^ucy fp^aks at igoj^pg
^ off, " Llopg to be made ,an hopeft wo.gaan,** are. a
filrong. andpleafantftroke of rjdic:Ule agaioft jt^vfe
^who vainly api^gine that virtue is. wmprizf d in .any
cxtsernal ceremtony, and that a cpere compjianpe. JKJth
- eftabUflicdcuftom can fanclify vice.
^ The iatife, which occurs b.etween . ^S9tch^m_f^^
^ockit coi^cerning their accounts, are ^ip^fjterjy ;
^aqd the IbRg»> which I canppt avoid qROting^ ,,ipimi-
•rtabl?;
When ypu cenfur? the age,
£e cautious and fage.
Left the courtiers offended' {bould be| If you mention vice or bribe, ^Tisr fo -pat to ^11^ the tribe.
That- each cries (hat- was levePdat ;ne« >
I*^ bav^ heai*d a ihort-- anecdote of §iroRobeit '••Walpole, agalnft whom Gay chiefly brafidiSied < iiis-pen,cin -refptaof, thisJbng,! wbkhffti^^ied'an
- agreeable - and polfcic preiepccL of mind ;: bekig( in ''the ftag^-boxy at the firft representation of ;the ii^pe- '*r2Li ft^nH>ft^MV6rral encore attended Lockit's ippg^ ' 'andalleyes^^t the fame time: were fixed on Sir^Ro- X'bcrt, who, noting the mattpr, joined i hta^tilyi in J the plaudit, -and encored it a fecond time with jiia
fogic
I
fiogl^ voice: ^ whkh npt only bii^ted the pqetic^l ihafit but gained a general huz^zs^ from the au^ dience. >
71tt thictf<aIfQr ^nd ga6ter quarrelling tipon a jnrinciple of hanouf^ is alfo ^dmirs^bly farcaftical iipon: rboft -known fcoun^eh wha pretend a jear jmif fof rpputatlon, and who infolently quarrel up- oa fyif|qi>p)es they at^ t<^|ally unacqainted with-r^ iiotbvag is eonimoner th^n for proftitutes to com^ i»fmfi vehement burkf^uf^ alterqacion? about virtue^ md gamblers about honefty.
Lucy's tttferpofition ^ith her father It) favour d^ her gallant^ and his obdurate lefufaU mai^feft a ftriA knowledge of nature^ as dors her dcterrninar lion to eflfeftthc captain*s freedom at alay ratej ^ incidett eyfcr fcH tn ftiore opportunely than PoUyl's cDtraoce at this critical point pf time; it reduoia Macheath to a. peculiar dilemma^ and con* trafts the ladies very agr^bly i their different feet ioga are estprefl<;d with a degree of very nice diilin(> ti^o;, tendernefs is well oppofed* by veh^menc^e of Ji&£i;^oo^ and the whde fcene furnift^es extreme ageoeaJDle aftiQa%-4^Po%'s patience fo long under fueh oirciimftances, and at laDi: breaking out iota womanilk rdentment, .is a good delineation of a female mind, under fome reftraint of delicacy, yeC ftiTcep^c of pfldvocadoh upon tender points ; the 9ttQrei^ia well conceived) judiciouQy conduded^ ind «»ughc into a humourog? climax ( the timely iotecisention of Peacbum prevent a£lual hoftilities^^ sodiatifiss a plealing touch of the pathetic ; while Ucff^ireiblucion of jftealiiig her father's keys (q g|vp ^Toii.L R Mac-
V22 The DRAMATIC CENTS OR,
^acheath his libercy,puts cjrpeAatiot) into a f refh de- gree of fufpence, and concludes the fecond adl at a critical period.
A (uppofition of HiiS daughter's cohnhrance at the captatn^s efcape, gives rife to Lockit's treating her fomewhat roughly at the beginning of the third a£t } but, in the trui^ fpirit of corruption, which we may (lile ex officio, indeed the efitA of his nature as well as place, he enquires for the perquifite, and is not a lit- tle chagrined at finding the girl poflefled of genero- fity.j— In the (hort fubfequent fcene, where Filch is introduced, we can by no means approve his grofs anfwer to Lockit's obfervation, that he looks like a ftjotten herring ; it is certainly orily fit for the me- ridian of St. Giles's.
The charafter of a highwayman is wdl prefenrcd in Macheath's making a gaming- houfe his firf): afy- lum after enlargement, and fitting him up with oc* cafional finery of external appearance, iheWs the author not only a judge of nature, bottheftage$ for fuch fort of colleftors general aim at making a gallant figure, to appear what they are not; and change of ^ di^efs often give^ an ador fome novelty with tht audience 5 *this fcene, however,, imports little mofe than to (hew the difiipated turn of our hero. '
PfealchiJrti, Lockif, and the tally- woman, Mrs. Dye Trapes, furnifti us with a difli of coiivefiatipa cenfurable throughout, though it always pleaies by the force of a£kion ; the fubrjed is too mean for the public ear,, the charadbrs mentioned too defpicable for notice,'' except from the poHcc, and the old • • * - 4 lady's
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 123
lady'8 fiQcrc^cs of her abominable trade irtfaipnous. ; I would therefore recommend feme other means. of difcbverbg ' Macheath, and heartily wi(h a total omilfion of fuch ftuflf as no perfon can learn any thing from, which it: would not be better to be ig- norant oL
. The defign of poifoning Polly in a glafs of firong^ waters, renders Lucy a . right Newgate bird^ and makes her, though the faA is not perpetrated» an objeft of deteftation ; and we apprehend unne,cef- farily, unlefs we carry the idea of burlefque con- ftantly in view, and confider the author as. ridi- culing the poifoncd bowls of tragedy, fo often, tieedlefsiy adminiftered, and fo often miracMloqdy efcaped ; another Biliingfgate fentiment :we find furniihed to Lucy in this fcene, it comes imme- diately after thcfe words, " I vow, Polly, I (hall " take it ijionftroufly ill, if you refufe me.**
Macfaeath's appearing in coftody fufprizes and alarms attention ; his interview with the real and wouM-be wif^ is very expreffivc of the clrcum- Itance,, and good performtnce may call forth fome drops of. pity for a very unworthy objeft.^^Th? different applications of the female? to their fcveral fathers call up tender fenfations, buti I apprehend, tbcy are rather mifplaced 5 for as PoUy is certainly the leading cha^a£i;er, and offers the moft pathetic addrefs, hers ihould have come lad; by way of ^lir max.
The fenfible rcfolution, and commendable though divided tendernefs of Macheath, in his fqng as he goes off to the Old-bailey, recommend Wm cpnQ-
' R 2 derably
tn 'Tfee DR AMATI C C EKSO Rs-
ller^bly to favoiiri and {^^ therefore artfti% thrbwa in. ; . . .
As Itatiat^ opieras depend a good dealpm dancmg IheritV we Urid Gay has a ftroke eveA 4tt riisr, bf iotf oducing a hop among rive Neui^atergentrjr^ iOi lyhich, by way of making a ftrange, yet fackieai modi* ley , the cdndemned hole immediately fui^bds; and^ like other great men in foaae fertous pieces^ the piptahl fi^s through all weathersi^^high fpirits, iow fyi* rits, loVe and defp^s^ir $ he has no lefs tSiaiiten aiki tt) go through fuccefllvely, yet Jbjiadidwfly vwed (bat he muft be a bkter bad vocal psrformer in«- €eed^ ^ho palls l^is audreiu± with them ; the Soi^ lowing fi)ort fcenes betweeh him and >his fribndsi ^ t4)at with tht ladie% claim ix) gneat; lliare df praife,, iior do they m^rit iny ccnfure* ^ That very UDexp€;aed turn the cataftrofAe t^kes is thus a^piplogtycd for by the Beggar, *1 |a thii ^vkind of drama, Vis no matocr how abfurdly 4* thii=ig5 ate brqught about— fo you rabbie there, ^^ flin -fend cry a repriew/^-rr^-Thus, by :a kind of J>oetical, 6r rather operatreal legerd'cmam, hey I jpafe tTnifery is.gonejj anc^ leaves joy ^nd tcheacrfiiU jpefe in its placei •
To e^artiitie Hifhie plot of this piece by iftri& rules tf d^iticiftn^ as ^he author ^ docs notv4>y >any ^neans frretend to regularity^ would be top Tcvicrc ; yet the unities- are not grofsly intruded tppn, ex*- 9ept in one place— -there are but three (hort fpeeches find a dance between Macheath's ijclng taken ta ^fial and bis appearing in tte condemned bole» ^hich could fcarcf happen till 4 day afoer 4t teaft^
' ' , • - i as
Thfe dramatic: CENSO R. f 25
is pr rimers, though ioanA gmlty^ are not put there till after ftntence.
. The dial^ue of this (^era has great cafe, fpirk and corredbels 1 the fcndments are always juQ^^ though Ibctietifioesfalanieabk ; the fatire kimitable, and the fodgs witbout^one exception, bating ihat of Mrs% Trapes, an unparallelled treafure of brilliant al- hifions, inftrufihre ideals, fhrevvd tendency, fami- Har expreflion, and unaflfcded verfification : they hare the pWn outward femblance of common bal- lads^ yet teem with a luxuriance of ima^nation, truth and policy, moft amazingly compaded into Hn incredible narrow com pafs, which, in my efti'^ matiooH cnndes them to be ftiled the qqintefience of Inent*
Yet afw tjffertng this impartial tribute at the fiirkie ^ Gay's genius, it gives us concern to be under a neceiHty of remarking, that a moral was tiie lafi: point in his view, if it entered there at all ; arki, in this refpe<^, a gloomy cloud cads its dark fhade ov^jT the ihine of prjrifc he muft otberwife have commanded ; if young minds, which indeed tlie mttfic he-Ips, leave a theatre untainted with any pejudicial impreflion after feeing the Beggar's Op'£-RA i «iF no fooliih young perfon of either fex admires Macheath as any other than a diverting ftage-chara£):cr ; if his fliew and falfe courage do not delude the one fcx, nor his gallantry attrad the other, then the piece may Hand as inoffenfivc; but I fear it does not often work an ^ffedt of fuch me-t ^iocrity, therc^fore am bold 10 ^all it a comppfitiaa
made
I
125 The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
Beggar* s Opera m
made up of ingredients much more noxious than falutary, fo pleafingly reliflied* fo flatteringly gilded, that fcarce any eye or tafte can refift the powerful, dangerous temptation; it itands» like light and heat, alluring paflions, which play like moths around it, till they fall a prey to thedehi* five objeft of their delight.
In refpedt of characters, the itien are all errant icoundrels, and the females, except Polly, vicious jades \ neceffarily there can be but a very faint de- gree of light and (hade, which undoubtedly con-^ flitute not only a great part of dramatic beauty but propriety; for all angels, or all devils, is but a very partial, uninftrudlivc pifture of human nature; but indeed our author's choice of charaflers would not admit of much variety, wherefore we heartily lament his prodituting fcch exquifite talents to fo «3ncdifying, or rather immoral a fubje<5t. :
Macheath has fomething fpecious, but not one raluablc fymptom in his compofition ; hisprofef^ fion is not only to rob men of their properly^ but fenntales of their characters and peace ; there is an appearance of courage, without afpark of reality; for at the trying moment, we find he applies to the true refource of a coward, liquor ; in (hort, he is a contemptible knave, yet an agreeable gallant, and therefore, as we have already obferved, the more dangerous and cenfurable for public exhibition.
In the performance of this part, fpirited bold- ncfs of figure^ flafliy gentility of deportment, and an e}^prcffive, not a refined tafte of finging, ^rc
nccefi-
The DRAMATIC CENSOR. 127
JBeggar^s Opera •
neceflkry *, under this idea of requifites, we cannot fay chat any performer within our knowledge has re- prefented; him in a capital manner ; Mr^ Beard's appearance and manner -of Tinging were all that could be wifhed, but his fpeaking was intolerable, and he appeared too much of the gentleman i Mr. Lowe's voice was more happy, but his expreflion lefs charaderiftiCy and his fpeaking, if pofTrble, worfej Mr. Vernon's Mufical knowledge is ex- tenlive, his merit in afting great, but his figure ra- ther inadequate, and his voice totally fo ; Mr. Mattocks is far too faint in appearance and every degree of expreflion.
If the managers of Drury-Iane would do them- felves and the public juftice, Mr. Bannister, who looks, walks and fings the parr, take all together, —better than any who have been mentioned, (hould ; undoubtedly be put in poflcflion of it ; and indeed of many others, which are miferably mutilated by the prefent pofleflbrs. — Mr. Digges, whom wq mentioned in our remarks upon Richard the Third, was not without great' irierit in the captain.
Peachum and Lockit are admirably drawn for their ftations, and vvith a very natural diftinftion; the former being more in the world, has more e:^- tended ideas, more fhrewdnefs, and is a knave of greater latitude ; Mr. Macklin and Mr. Yates were indifputably fuperior to any competitors in in this pgrt j but for general drynefs and a juft cy- nical, turn of humour, Mr. Macklin ftood, in
our
LtB The DRAMATIC CENSOR.
pm opicuoQ^ forcmofti aic prefent k^docs oot de- &rve JKHtce at either hoafe*
Lodcic i& obyious and eafy to hitv yet all we ba(ve feen never exceeded m/ediccritjr ; iooie fink hitn into in abfolute bkck^guard* which there is ^Q re^foa for i and others feften the aatural gloom of his ftation coo nioch ; the late Mr. Biert was we apprehend, the moQ: tolerable of any perfon. for fcvcral yeari.-^Filch is wdl defcribed by the au- thor, and never wasV nof never need be bejter eiB- prcffed than by Mr« Persons of Drury-lane, who^ if it would not fee a> an auk ward compHnnefvc, looks, deports, and fings thp pickpocket to per«* fcftion.
. Polly is an agreeaWe young woman, imprudenr* yet delicate, and conftant inafFoftion} (be com- mits a breach of filial duty, 'tis true, in point of her fecret marriage, but fuch parents as hers appear to deferve little confidence v np cbarader in the drama has furnilbed fo many young ady^qturers as tbisy fcveral of whom have made ample proviHoa for them fclves through her iatroduAion intaUfe^ and, upon the whole, there never wa^a part in which fo many unequal performers made a tojdraf J ble dand *, out of a large number in pi^r recollecf i tion,^ the following ladies defended ccfofiderablf f praife, Mifs Noblris, Mifs Falknbr, {|nd Mrs, f Chambers.
Mrs. Pinto fung it better, and brpi^ght mpr* money by far than any perfon Cnce the ftrft feafofl of exhibition ; Mrs, Arne alfo had great mufical
merit^
1
r
DRAM JLTIG GENSO*. ^^9
ineiyt».bu^ aoicber <ef tfaef<) poflbflkd^ (badoitf oia^ iognv-^^rs. JCf|rii£]t waa to. the Q]»e^:hcaft9.JfuvJ:0i& ^rocdi alL :vr btve oijCD^ned, and the opljtfi^vfiblt ijpcakmgr&nidkiringfscithat WQ tfimei^ ^
iinderftanding to be pleaibd.witfc.fcnfibilSty rfc^W^ tenance, emphafis, and fbund, we could wi(h Co fee Mifs Ma ckl in do the part at prefent.
Lucy is a cbaracfler, who, through weaknefs or vice, has forfeited her virtue ; fhe is compofed of violent pafllons, and, as we have ihewn, of a bad heart; yet, even .with moderate merit, muft pleafe in aAing s Mrs. Clivb, though (he fqualled the fongs