REMARKS. King Henry the Fifth. ONE of the many advantages resulting from the writings of Shakspeare, is, that historical events are rendered familiar through the medium of entertainment. This is not required by the scholar; but, as a very small portion of mankind may claim that distinguished title, those to whom the minutiae of historical detail might be a tedious study, will have their attention awakened, and their memory impressed, when a series of interesting events is placed before them, with all the advantages of histrionic art and scenic illusion. Who but remembers, through this delightful medium, the triumph of liberty, and the death of Cæsar-the fall of Wolsey, and the sorrows of Katharine-the plain of Bosworth, and the field of Azincour? The poet adopts from history his fable and characters; while history borrows light from the poet to give her facts, by representation, the semblance of reality. We may, from reading, conceive Richard, ambitious, ferocious, and cruel; but, when we behold him in the field, and hear him, with hoarse voice, daring Richmond to the fight, we receive the full impression of personal identity; and we yield to the actor our praise for what his art contributes to the illusion. History affords not a more interesting character than Henry V. His reign ranks among the proudest on her annals, and-but for the present day, when the armies of England have laughed to scorn the boasted inviolability of the French territory-it was distinguished by one unparalleled achievement-the conquest of France. The hero of Azincour has been drawn by Shakspeare with singular felicity. In the first and second parts of Henry IV. he appears as the madcap Prince of Wales, pursuing, with some glorious intermissions, his licentious pleasantries with his boon companions of the Boar's Head. But in the present drama,-having repented, and that suddenly-he shines forth with extraordinary lustre, as the undaunted warrior, and the Christian king : "No sooner was the crown Placed on his head, than with an awful frown, Reform their lives, or see his face no more."* We only regret that his manner of doing this was not more gracious. If he could unbend with Williams, and sport with Fluellen, it had surely been nothing derogatory to his royal dignity to tolerate Falstaff. The plot rests upon one single incident-the battle of Azincour. Yet, by a skilful diversity of character and scene, the interest maintains its ascendancy nearly to the close. The arrogant levity of the French is well contrasted with the temperate firmness of the English army-the one revelling in the vain confidence of victory-the other relying on their own valour, and on the God of battles. Shakspeare has introduced a chorus at the beginning of each act, after the manner of the Greek dramatists. He wished to convey his own exalted idea of his hero to every spectator, and he has employed all the "The Times:" a poem splendour of poetry to effect his object. He, who rejected all rules but as they contributed to heighten his conceptions, in this instance became an imitator, and with a skill that showed him a perfect adept in every department of the dramatic art. In this play we are again introduced to some of our old acquaintances of the Boar's Head. The cowardly braggadocia, Ancient Pistol-the man of few words, and small courage, Corporal Nymthe quondam hostess Quickly-and he whose face is full of bubukles, and whelks, and flames of fire, Lieutenant Bardolph. But the sun of humour is set-the hero of their mirth and revelry is gone. Falstaff is, alas! no counterfeit—he's in Arthur's bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bosom. The ignus fatuus of Bardolph's countenance shall no more do its honourable office of lighting the fat knight from tavern to tavern: though its flames are not extinct, its occupation is gone. The splendour of these martial scenes-the victories of Henry and his virtues-do not compensate for the absence of this exquisite humorist, nor extenuate his unkindness. It neither became the true prince, nor the Fifth Harry, to look with coldness on the partner of his midnight orgies. Falstaff is dead—a sentence that implies the almost total extinction of wit and drollery. We have often been affected by some of Shakspeare's touches of nature; but never more so than with Hostess Quickly's description of the going-out of this brilliant light. Eternal blessings on honest Bardolph, for his blunt ebullition of affectionate feeling, which reminds us of the kindred wish of Burns "The poor man weeps-here (Falstaff) sleeps, But with such as he, where'er he be Even the cowardice of Pistol, and the small courage of Corporal Nyin, are half redeemed by their kind remembrance of ancient companionship! Pistol's humour, which in this play occupies a much broader space, does its best to supply the loss of Falstaff: his swaggering bravado, and heterogeneous jumble of bombastical phrases, lose none of their effect. But Bardolph is incurably in the dumps: his countenance lacks a jest, and himself a companion. He longs to be at his old work again-hacking his sword, tickling his nose with spear-grass, or compounding a cup of sack. The loss of Falstaff is irreparable "As in a theatre, the eyes of men, After a well-graced actor leaves the stage, we hear of Azincour-but we think of Shrewsbury. The character of Fluellen is excellently drawn-brave, irascible, and full of quaint comparisons. Who but a Welshman could have discovered any analogy between Monmouth and Macedon; or carried it through a variety of parallels with such whimsical earnestness and gravity? His comparison between Alexander the Great, and Henry, is no less apt and ingenious; though, when he comes to that part where each kills his best friend-the one, Clytus, the other, "the fat knight, with the great pelly-doublet"- we think King Henry would have hardly thanked him for the compliment. The scene where Fluellen cudgels Pistol, and makes him eat his leek-Pistol eating and cursing most courageously-is highly humorous. It would seem that Shakspeare delighted to exhibit the peculiarities of the Welsh character. Sir Hugh Evans, though altogether a different portrait, is equally happy, and in Shakspeare's best style. Henry's courtship of the Princess Katharine is conducted with true military grossness. Dr. Johnson justly remarks, that in this he bas neither the vivacity of Hal nor the grandeur of Henry. If Shak speare's French be reasonable bad, his taste, in this instance, is still worse. The lover who could plead, and the lady who could approve, with so little ceremony and delicacy, were in every respect worthy of each other. The language of this play breathes the purest spirit of devout heroism. What bosom has not beat high with enthusiasm at Henry's noble reply to Westmoreland, ou St. Crispan's Day, and glowed with devotional feeling at that glorious prayer, before he rushes into battle. Nothing can be more beautiful and pathetic than Exeter's description of the deaths of the Duke of York and the Earl of Suffolk : and it would be difficult to select a passage from poetry, marked by greater felicity of thought and expression, than the Archbishop of Canterbury's description of Henry himself: "Hear him but reason in divinity, And, all admiring, with an inward wish You would desire the king were made a prelate: 6 You would say, it has been all-in-all his study: Kemble's King Henry was conceived in the very spirit of chivalry: the character well accorded with the animated tone and manly ardour of that superb actor. It had all the fire and daring of perfect heroism, with the highest polish of intellectual grace. Mr. Macready dashed through the part with considerable energy: he gave it no repose, even where something more is required than mere declama. tion. He wanted the hilarity and buoyancy that distinguished Kemble's performance. He was fierce-but his fierceness was tempered with neither grandeur nor majesty: still, in the present state of the drama, the effort was praiseworthy. -G. Cast of Characters at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1825. King Henry V....... Mr. Macready. Mr. Harley. Mr. Knight. Mr. Fitzwilliam. Mr. Hughes. Miss Clara Fisher. Nym... HENRY V.-First dress: white satin shirt and black velvet cloak, trimmed with gold spangles and ermine; white hose; black velvet hat, with coronet round it, and white feathers; russet shoes. Second dress: complete suit of armour; black velvet shirt; and hat as before. GLOSTER.-Complete suit of armour-a mail, shirt, and helmet. BEDFORD.-Green spangled shape, puffed with yellow silk; white hose; black hat and feathers; and russet boots. EXETER. Black spangled shape, puffed with scarlet silk; white hose; black hat and feathers; and russet boots. WESTMORELAND.-Black velvet spangled shape, puffed with yellow satin; steel-bar breast-plate; white hose; red cap, with black feathers; russet boots. CANTERBURY.-Full clerical dress. ELY.-Ibid. CAMBRIDGE.-Black velvet spangled shape; white hose; russet boots; black hat, and white feathers. SCROOP.-Fawn-coloured ditto. GREY.-Black velvet, slashed with yellow satin ditto. ERPINGHAM.-Black velvet shape, bugled; black hose and black hat and feathers. GOWER.-Red shape, ornamented with buttons, and puffed with yellow satin; white hose; russet boots; red hat, and black feathers. FLUELLEN.-Blue tabbed jacket and trunks, puffed and trimmed with red; hat to match; red hose; and russet boots. WILLIAMS.-Red shape, with blue tabs; red hose; breast-. plate and helmet. BATES.-Ibid. NYM.-Chintz-patterned cloth shape and hat, trimmed with black; red hose; and russet boots. BARDOLPH-Black shape, ornamented with black buttons, and puffed with red; hat to match; scarlet hose; and large russet boots. PISTOL.-Buff leather shape, ornamented with black buttons and puffed with scarlet; large scarlet hat, with various-coloured feathers; scarlet hose; and large russet boots. Second dress: Breast-plate and helmet, added to the above. BOY.-Yellow jacket, red trunks, and cloak; russet boots; and black hat. CHARLES VI.-Black velvet shirt and robe, trimmed with gold spangles; ermine tippet; coronet; white hose; and russet shoes. DAUPHIN-Morone-coloured tunic, spangled; white hose; russet boots; and black hat, with white feathers. Second dress: Breast-plate. BURGUNDY.-Green shirt and robe, ornamented with spangles and white fur; white hose; russet shoes; and hat to match. CONSTABLE of FRANCE.-Green spangled tunic; crimson silk scarf; white hose; russet boots; black hat, and white feathers. BOURBON-Blue spangled shape ditto. GOVERNOR of HARFLEUR.-Ibid. MONTJOY.-Red tunic; tabard; white hose; black hat; white feathers; and russet boots. ISABEL.-White satin dress; scarlet velvet robe, and drapery, richly ornamented with gold; plume of white feathers. KATHARINE.-Pink satin train dress, ornamented with white beads and silver. DAME QUICKLY.-Black gown; blue petticoat; old English hat to match; and point-lace cap and apron. KING HENRY V. ACT I. SCENE I.-An Antechamber in the English Court. Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, and the BISHOP of ELY. Can. My lord, I'll tell you.-That self bill is urged, Which, in the eleventh year o' the last king's reign, Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd, But that the scambling and unquiet time Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? We lose the better half of our possession; For all the temporal lands, which men devout Ely. But what prevention? Can. The king is full of grace, and fair regard. And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him; To envelope and contain celestial spirits. Never came reformation in a flood, With such a heady current, scouring faults; So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, |