that the fame man should have had fuch variety of talents, as to have produced Macbeth and the Merry Wives of Windfor; is aftonishing. Where is there an inftance, among the Ancients or Moderns, of one Poet's uniting the fublime and pathetic, the boldeft inventions of fiction, and the most just and accurate delineation of characters; and alfo poffeffing the vis comica in its highest perfection? The best French Poets have been those Who from the ancients like the ancients writ; and who have afpired to the secondary praise of good imitators: but all our critics allow Shakespear to be an original. Mr. Pope confeffes him to be more so than even Homer himself. It has been demonftrated with great ingenuity and candour, that he was deftitute of learning: the age was rude and void of tafte; but what had a ftill more pernicious influence on his works, was, that the court and the univerfities, the statesman and scholars, affected a fcientific jargon. An obfcurity of expreffion was thought the veil of wisdom and know 4 ledge: ledge and that mist common to the Morn and Eve of literature, which in fact proves it is not at its high meridian, was affectedly thrown over the writings, and even the conversation of the learned, who often preferred images distorted: or magnified, to a fimple expofition of their thoughts. Shakefpear is never more worthy of the true critic's cenfure, than in those inftances in which he complies with this falfe pomp of It was pardonable in a man of his rank, not to be more polite and delicate than his contemporaries; but we cannot fo cafily excufe fuch fuperiority of talents for stooping to any affectation. manner. I may perhaps be charged with partiality to my author, for not having indulged that malignant spirit of criticism, which delights in expofing every blemish. I have paffed over beauties and defects in the fame filence, where they have not effentially affected the great purposes of the drama. They are of fo palpable a nature, that the most inattentive reader must perceive them: the fplendor of his fine paffages is equally ftriking. It appears to me that the dramatic requires a different fpecies of criticism from any other poetry. A drama is to be confidered in the light of a living body; regularity of features, grace of limbs, smoothness and delicacy of complexion, cannot render it perfect, if it is not properly organized within, as well as beautiful in its external Aructure. Many a character in a play, like a handfome perfon paralytic, is inert, feeble, and totally unfit for its duties and offices, fo that its neceffary exertions must be supplied by fome substitute. The action is carried on much after the manner it is done in epic poetry, by the help of defcription and narra→ tion, and a series of detached parts. It is unfair to judge fingly of every line, in a work where the merit depends on the refult of various operations, and repeated efforts to obtain a particular end. Works without genius are ufually regularly dull, and coldly correct, refembling those living characters that want, while. They They dream the blank of life along, * Senfe to be right, and paffion to be wrong.* Some allowances must be made to those who are more animated and more employed, if in the bustle of great actions, and the exertion of great powers, they fall into fome little errors. The genius of Shakefpear is fo extenfive and profound, I have reason to fear a greater number of excellencies have escaped my difcernment, than I have suffered faults to pass without my animadverfion; but I hope this weak attempt to vindicate our great dramatic Poet, will excite fome critic able to do him more ample juftice. In that confidence I have left untouched many of his pieces, which deserve the protection of more judicious zeal, and fkilful care. Dr. Young's Satires. FINI S. |