4 one compare the 3 scornful filence of Dido's ghost to Aeneas, the fullen filence of Ajax to Ulyffes, with the majeftic filence of Hamlet's ghoft, which occafions fo much terror and wonder; tho' all are highly beautiful, yet confidering times and circumstances, our poet will appear to the greatest advantage. The centinels break the matter with all it's particularities, to give it an air of probability to the prince, who refolves to watch upon the platform. At the ufual hour the ghost enters, and draws Hamlet apart to tell him his dreadful tale, which was improper for the reft to be acquainted with. Our hero determines upon his behaviour, and fwears the centinels to fecrefy. However, upon fecond thoughts, 3 Virgil. Aen. VI. Illa folo fixos oculos aversa tenebat. 4 Homer, Odyff. x. 561. 5 He wears them on his sword, very foldier-like, and agreeable to the ancient cuftom of his country. Nor is this lefs fcholar-like in our poet. Jornandes in his Gothic hiftory mentions this custom, Sacer [gladius] apud Scytharum reges femper habitus. Ammianus Marcellinus relates the fame ceremony among the Hunns. L. 31. c. 2. Hence our learned Spencer, B. 5. c. 8. ft. 14. And fwearing faith to either on his blade. The fpear was held equally facred. Ab origine rerum pre diis immortalibus veteres haftas coluere. Juftin. L. 43. C. 2. The Book I. thoughts, he does not know but the apparition might be the devil, that affumed his father's Thape he will therefore have surer foundations to proceed on, before he puts his intended revenge in execution; and an expedient offers itfelf for certain players, arriving at court, are inftructed by him to play fomewhat before the king like the murder of his father. : I'll obferve his looks, I'll tent him to the quick; if he but blench, And here our poet takes an opportunity to pay a fine compliment to his own art, 7 Pve heard that guilty creatures at a play,' This The fpears, they called fcepters, fo Paufanias informs us : and this explains to us that paffage in Homer, where Achilles fwears by his fcepter, which he hurls to the ground, i. e. his fpear. Il. d. 234. and 245. 6 Oreftes, in Euripides, Electr. . 979, has the very fame doubt, that Hamlet has. Oreftes. "Ας αὖτ ̓ ἀλάσως εἶν ̓ ἀπεικασθεὶς θεῷ; 7 'Tis plain Shakespeare alludes to a story told of Alexander the cruel tyrant of Pherae in Theffaly, who seeing a famous This making of a play within a play, befide introducing some strokes of fatyre on former tragedians, fhews, by the comparison, to what perfection our poet brought tragedy, which after him made no further progrefs. There was usually in the beginning of every act a dumb fhew, being a fymbolical representation of what the audience were to expect; who were well dealt with, if after all they could guess at the poet's meaning inveloped in a figurative and bombaft ftile. But why do I enter into a detail of particular beauties, where the whole is beautiful? Divine justice at length overtakes the tyrant in his fecureft hours, and the poet is true to the cause of virtue. The Electra of Sophocles, in many instances, is not very unlike the Hamlet of Shakespeare. Aegyfthus and Clytemneftra, having murthered the former king, were in poffeffion of the crown, when Oreftes returned from Phocis, where he famous tragedian act the Troades of Euripides, was fo What's HECUBA to him, or he to HECUBA, had been privately fent by his fifter Electra. These two contrive, and foon after effect the punishment of the murtherers. Electra is a Grecian woman, of a mafculine and generous difpofition of mind; she had been a witness of the wickedness of those two mifcreants, who had barbarously plotted the death of her father, the renowned Agamemnon: his ghost called for justice; and she herself, rather than they shall efcape, will be the inftrument of vengeance. Thus when Clytemneftra calls out to Oreftes, O fon, O fon, have mercy on thy mother! Electra replys, [from within. [from within. For thee fhe felt no mercy, or thy father. Clyt. Oh, I'm wounded. Elect. Double the blow, Oreftes. There is a vast affectation of lenity in mankind : and I am inclin'd to believe that an English audience would scarcely bear this Grecian character. Soon after Oreftes kills Aegyfthus, and, that this piece of juftice may be a greater expiation to the manes of the murdered king, he kills him in the fame place where Aegyfthus had killed Agamemnon. SECT. $ TH SECT. VII. HO' people in a lower ftation of life take a peculiar fatisfaction in feeing wickedness in high places brought to punishment; yet are they no lefs pleased, when the poet condescends to bring matters home to themselves, by painting the paffions of a more domestic nature. Such a paffion is Jealoufie; to the fatal effects of which, the peafant is equally fubject as the prince. 'An unhappy young woman (for so her name fignifies) falls in love with a commander in the Venetian service, who had entertain'd her with a romantic i Dido's cafe feems exactly like that of Defdemona. The Dux Trojanus told her his wonderful adventures by fea and land, of inchantments, monfters, &c. Thefe to bear did Dido feriously incline. Haerent infixi pecore VULTUs She confults her fifter, Quis Novus bic noftris fucceffit fedibus hofpes! Factatus fatis! quae bella exhaufta canebat! If indeed fhe could harbour any notions of a second lover, 1 |