1. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, This blank, Dr. Johnson with the highest probability conjectures, should be filled up with "Berenice;" a word that the transcriber or compofitor probably could not make out. In the same manner he left a blank in a subsequent passage for the name of "Nero," as is indubitably proved by the following line, which ascertains the omitted word. See No. 6. 3. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? 4. Helen, the mother of great Constantine, Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee. 5. Froisard, a countryman of ours, records, &c. 6. and, like thee, [Nero,] Play on the lute, beholding the towns burning. [In the original copy there is a blank where the word Nero is new placed.] 7. The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, Exceeding the nine Sybils of old Rome. 8. A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Drives back our troops-. 9. Divineft creature, Aftræa's daughter-. 10. Adonis' gardens, That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next. 11. A ftatelier pyramis to her I'll rear, 12. Than Rhodope's, or Memphis', ever was. an urn more precious Than the rich-jewel'd coffer of Darius. 13. I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Thomyris, by Cyrus' death. A second Hector, for his grim aspéct. 15. Neftor-like aged, in an age of care. 16. Then follow thou thy defperate fire of Crete, Thou Icarus. 17. Where is the great Alcides of the field? me to think that the piece now under confideration might be the work of a juvenile writer; and why not one of Shakspeare's earliest dramatick effufions? The firft themes composed by schoolboys are always stuffed with a tritical parade of literature, such as is found in antiquated plays, some of which, our author, while yet immature, might have taken for his model. STEEVENS. VOL. XIV. 19. Is Talbot flain; the Frenchman's only scourge, 20. Thou may ft not wander in that labyrinth; 22. thus he goes, As did the youthful Paris once to Greece; Of particular expreffions there are many in this play, that seen to me more likely to have been used by the authors already named, than by Shakspeare; but I confefs, with Dr. Johnson, that fingle words can conclude little. However, I will just mention that the words proditor and immanity, which occur in this piece, are not, I believe, found in any of Shakspeare's undisputed performances: not to infist on a direct Latinism, pile-esteemed, which I am confident was the word intended by the author, though, being a word of his own formation, the compositor has printedpild-esteem'd, instead of it.* The verfification of this play appears to me clearly of a different colour from that of all our author's genuine dramas, while at the fame time it refsembles that of many of the plays produced before the time of Shakspeare. In all the tragedies written before his time, or just when he commenced author, a certain stately march of versification is very obfervable. The sense concludes or paufes almost uniformly at the end of every line; and the verse has scarcely ever a redundant fyllable. As the reader may not have any of these pieces at hand, (by the poffeffion of which, however, his library would not be much enriched,) I shall add a few instances, the first that occur : "Most loyal lords, and faithful followers, "That have with me, unworthy general, "Paffed the greedy gulph of Ocean, Leaving the confines of fair Italy, " Behold, your Brutus draweth nigh his end. My finews fhrink, my numbed senses fail, "A chiling cold poffeffeth all my bones; " And with his dart prepared is to strike." Locrine, 1595. * See King Henry II. P. I. Vol. XIII. p. 39, n. 4. " "My lord of Gloucester, and lord Mortimer, "Preferv'd by miracle in Sicil road,) "Go mount your coursers, meet him on the way; Pray him to spur his steed, minutes and hours, "Untill his mother fee her princely son, "Shining in glory of his safe return." Edward I. by George Peele, 1593. "Then go thy ways, and clime up to the clouds, "And tell Apollo that Orlando fits Making of verses for Angelica. "And if he do deny to fend me down "The shirt which Deianira fent to Hercules, "To make me brave upon my wedding day, "Tell him I'll pass the Alps, and up to Meroe, " (I know he knows that watry lakish hill) "And pull the harp out of the minstrels hands, "And pawne it unto lovely Proferpine, "That she may fetch the faire Angelica." Orlando Furioso, by Robert Greene, printed in 1599; written before 1592. "The work that Ninus rear'd at Babylon, * * * "Facile and debonaire in all his deeds, Proportion'd as was Paris, when in gray, "He courted Oenon in the vale by Troy." * * * "Who dar'd for Edward's fake cut through the seas, " And venture as Agenor's damsel through the deepe." " * * * England's rich monarch, brave Plantagenet, "The Pyren mountains swelling above the clouds, "That ward this wealthy Caftile in with walls, "Could not detain the beauteous Eleanor; "But hearing of the fame of Edward's youth, "She dar'd to brave Neptunus' haughty pride, "And brave the brunt of froward Eolus." " Daphne, the damsel that caught Phœbus fast, "And lock'd him in the brightness of her looks, "Was not fo beauteous in Apollo's eyes, "As is fair Margaret, to the Lincoln earl." " We must lay plots for stately tragedies, Strange comick shews, fuch as proud Roscius "Vaunted before the Roman emperours." Lacy, thou can'st not shrowd thy traiterous thoughts, "Nor cover, as did Caffius, all his wiles; " For Edward hath an eye that looks as far "As Lynceus from the shores of Greecia." " Pardon, my lord: If Jove's great royalty "Sent me such presents as to Danae; "If Phœbus tied to Latona's webs, "Came courting from the beauty of his lodge; "The dulcet tunes of frolick Mercurie, "Nor all the wealth heaven's treasury affords "Should make me leave lord Lacy or his love." * * "What will thou do? * "Shew thee the tree leav'd with refined gold, "That overshines our damfels, as the moone "Darkens the brightest sparkles of the night." "Should Paris enter in the courts of Greece, Can Edward then fit by a flame and freeze, "Whose heats put Hellen and fair Daphne down ?" The Honourable Historie of Friar Bacon, &c. by Robert Greene; written before 1592, printed in 1598. King. Thus far, ye English Peers, have we display'd "Our waving ensigns with a happy war; "Thus nearly hath our furious rage reveng'd My daughter's death upon the traiterous Scot; "And now before Dunbar our camp is pitch'd, "Which if it yield not to our compromife, "The place shall furrow where the palace stood, "And fury shall envy so high a power, "That mercy shall be banish'd from our fword. Doug. What feeks the English king ? King. Scot, ope those gates, and let me enter in. " Submit thyself and thine unto my grace, "Or I will put each mother's fon to death, "And lay this city level with the ground." James IV. by Robert Greene, printed in 1508; written before 1592. "Valeria, attend; I have a lovely bride "As bright as is the heaven chrystaline; "As faire as is the milke-white way of Jove, "As chafte as Phœæbe in her fummer sports, "As foft and tender as the azure downe "That circles Citherea's filver doves; "Her do I meane to make my lovely bride, "And in her bed to breathe the sweet content "That I, thou know'st, long time have aimed at." " The Taming of a Shrew, written before 1594. "Pol. Faire Emilia, summers bright fun queene, Creating gold and pretious minerals, "What would Emilia doe, if I were fond "To leave faire Athens, and to range the world? "Emil. Should thou afsay to fcale the feate of Jove, "Mounting the fubtle airie regions, "Barons of England, and my noble lords, "A king that may in rule and virtue both Succeed his brother in his emperie." The troublesome Raigne of King John, 1591 |