CHARACTERS OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS.

By William Hazlitt. 8vo, pp. 352. London, 1817.1

THIS is not a book of black-letter learning, or historical elucidation; neither is it a metaphysical dissertation, full of wise perplexities and elaborate reconcilements. It is, in truth, rather an encomium on Shakespeare, than a commentary or critique on him— and is written, more to 5 show extraordinary love, than extraordinary knowledge of his productions. Nevertheless, it is a very pleasing book -and, we do not hesitate to say, a book of very considerable originality and genius. The author is not merely an admirer of our great dramatist, but an Idolator of him; 10 and openly professes his idolatry. We have ourselves too great a leaning to the same superstition, to blame him very much for his error, and though we think, of course, that our own admiration is, on the whole, more discriminating and judicious, there are not many points on which, 15 especially after reading his eloquent exposition of them, we should be much inclined to disagree with him.

1It may be thought that enough had been said of our early dramatists, in the immediately preceding article; and it probably is So. But I could not resist the temptation of thus renewing, in my own name, that vow of allegiance, which I had so often taken anonymously to the only true and lawful King of our English Poetry! and now venture, therefore, fondly to replace this slight and perishable wreath on his august and undecaying shrine: with no farther apology than that it presumes to direct attention but to one, and that, as I think, a comparatively neglected aspect of his universal genius.

The book, as we have already intimated, is written less to tell the reader what Mr. H. knows about Shakespeare or his writings, than to explain to them what he feels about them and why he feels so - and thinks that all who 5 profess to love poetry should feel so likewise. What we chiefly look for in such a work, accordingly, is a fine sense of the beauties of the author, and an eloquent exposition of them; and all this, and more, we think, may be found in the volume before us. There is nothing niggardly in 10 Mr. H.'s praises, and nothing affected in his raptures. He seems animated throughout with a full and hearty sympathy with the delight which his author should inspire, and pours himself gladly out in explanation of it, with a fluency and ardour, obviously much more akin to enthu15 siasm than affectation. He seems pretty generally, indeed, in a state of happy intoxication- and has borrowed from his great original, not indeed the force or brilliancy of his fancy, but something of its playfulness, and a large share of his apparent joyousness and self-indulgence in 20 its exercise. It is evidently a great pleasure to him to be fully possessed with the beauties of his author, and to follow the impulse of his unrestrained eagerness to impress them upon his readers.

When we have said that his observations are generally 25 right, we have said, in substance, that they are not

generally original; for the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes and undoubtedly his finest passages are those which please all classes of readers, and are ad30 mired for the same qualities by judges from every school of criticism. Even with regard to those passages, ever, a skilful commentator will find something worth hearing to tell. Many persons are very sensible of the effect of fine poetry on their feelings, who do not well

how

know how to refer these feelings to their causes; and it is always a delightful thing to be made to see clearly the sources from which our delight has proceeded — and to trace back the mingled stream that has flowed upon our hearts, to the remoter fountains from which it has been 5 gathered. And when this is done with warmth as well as precision, and embodied in an eloquent description of the beauty which is explained, it forms one of the most attractive, and not the least instructive, of literary exercises. In all works of merit, however, and especially in 10 all works of original genius, there are a thousand retiring and less obtrusive graces, which escape hasty and superficial observers, and only give out their beauties to fond and patient contemplation; a thousand slight and harmonising touches, the merit and the effect of which are 15 equally imperceptible to vulgar eyes; and a thousand indications of the continual presence of that poetical spirit, which can only be recognised by those who are in some measure under its influence, or have prepared themselves to receive it, by worshipping meekly at the shrines 20 which it inhabits.

In the exposition of these, there is room enough for originality, - and more room than Mr. H. has yet filled. In many points, however, he has acquitted himself excellently; - partly in the development of the principal 25 characters with which Shakespeare has peopled the fancies of all English readers - but principally, we think, in the delicate sensibility with which he has traced, and the natural eloquence with which he has pointed out that fond familiarity with beautiful forms and images that 30 eternal recurrence to what is sweet or majestic in the simple aspects of nature that indestructible love of flowers and odours, and dews and clear waters, and soft airs and sounds, and bright skies, and woodland solitudes,

and moonlight bowers, which are the Material elements of Poetry—and that fine sense of their undefinable relation to mental emotion, which is its essence and vivifying Soul- and which, in the midst of Shakespeare's 5 most busy and atrocious scenes, falls like gleams of sunshine on rocks and ruins-contrasting with all that is rugged and repulsive, and reminding us of the existence of purer and brighter elements! - which HE ALONE has poured out from the richness of his own mind, without 10 effort or restraint; and contrived to intermingle with the play of all the passions, and the vulgar course of this world's affairs, without deserting for an instant the proper business of the scene, or appearing to pause or digress, from the love of ornament or need of repose! HE ALONE,

15 who, when the object requires it, is always keen and worldly and practical — and who yet, without changing his hand, or stopping his course, scatters around him, as he goes, all sounds and shapes of sweetness and conjures up landscapes of immortal fragrance and freshness, 20 and peoples them with Spirits of glorious aspect and attractive grace and is a thousand times more full of fancy and imagery, and splendour, than those who, in pursuit of such enchantments, have shrunk back from the delineation of character or passion, and declined the dis25 cussion of human duties and cares. More full of wisdom

and ridicule and sagacity, than all the moralists and satirists that ever existed he is more wild, airy, and inventive, and more pathetic and fantastic, than all the poets of all regions and ages of the world :— and has all 30 those elements so happily mixed up in him, and bears his high faculties so temperately, that the most severe reader cannot complain of him for want of strength or of reason

nor the most sensitive for defect of ornament or ingenuity. Every thing in him is in unmeasured abund

ance, and unequalled perfection - but every thing so balanced and kept in subordination, as not to jostle or disturb or take the place of another. The most exquisite poetical conceptions, images, and descriptions, are given with such brevity, and introduced with such skill, as 5 merely to adorn, without loading the sense they accompany. Although his sails are purple and perfumed, and his prow of beaten gold, they waft him on his voyage, not less, but more rapidly and directly than if they had been composed of baser materials. All his excellences, like 10 those of Nature herself, are thrown out together; and, instead of interfering with, support and recommend each other. His flowers are not tied up in garlands, nor his fruits crushed into baskets but spring living from the soil, in all the dew and freshness of youth; while the 15 graceful foliage in which they lurk, and the ample branches, the rough and vigorous stem, and the widespreading roots on which they depend, are present along with them, and share, in their places, the equal care of their Creator.

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