Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

that "the probation bears no hinge or loop to hang a doubt on;") to lead directly to the door of truth.

It is observable that several portions of the English History had been dramatized before the time of Shakspeare. Thus, we have King John in two parts, by an anonymous writer; Edward I, by George Peele; Edward II, by Christopher Marlowe; Edward III, anonymous; Henry IV, containing the deposition of Richard II, and the accession of Henry to the crown, anonymous;* Henry V, and Richard III, both by anonymous authors. Is it not then highly probable, that the whole of the story of Henry VI had also been brought upon the scene? and that the first of the plays now in question, formerly (as I believe) called The Historical Play of King Henry VI, and now named The First Part of King Henry VI, as well as The First Part of the Contention of the Two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, &c. and The true Tragedie of Richard Duke of Yorke, &c. (which three pieces comprehend the entire reign of that King from his birth to his death) were the composition of some of the authors, who had produced the historical dramas above enumerated?

In consequence of an hasty and inconsiderate opinion formed by Mr. Pope, without any minute examination of the subject, King John in two parts, printed in 1591, and The old Taming of the Shrew, which was entered at Stationers' Hall in 1594, and printed in 1607, passed for half a century for the composition of Shakspeare. Further inquiries have shown that they were the productions of earlier writers; and perhaps a more profound investigation of this subject than I have been able to make, may hereafter prove decisively, that the first of the three Henries printed in folio, and both the parts of The Whole Contention of the Two famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, as exhibited in quarto, and printed in 1600, ought to be classed in the same predicament with the two old plays above mentioned. For my own part, if it should ever be thought proper to reprint the old dramas on which Shakspeare founded some of his plays, which were published in two volumes a few years ago, I have no doubt that The First Part of the Contention of the Two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, &c. and The true Tragedie of the Duke of Yorke, &c. should be added to the number.

Gildon somewhere says, that "in a conversation between Shakspeare and Ben Jonson, Ben asked him the reason why he wrote his historical plays." Our author (we are told) replied, that "finding the nation generally very ignorant of history, he wrote them in order to instruct the people in that particular." This anecdote like many other traditional stories, stands on a very weak foundation; or to speak more justly, it is certainly a fiction. The malignant Ben does indeed, in his Devil's an Ass, 1616, sneer at our author's historical pieces, which for twenty years preceding had been in high reputation, and probably were then the only histori-

* See the Prolegomena to King Richard II, Vol. VII. Entered on the Stationers' books in 1594.

cal dramas that had possession of the theatre; but from the list above given, it is clear that Shakspeare was not the first who dramatized our old chronicles; and that the principal events of the English History were familiar to the ears of his audience, before he commenced a writer for the stage:* though undoubtedly at this day, whatever knowledge of our annals is dispersed among the people, is derived from the frequent exhibition of our author's historical plays.

He certainly did not consider writing on fables that had already been formed into dramas, as any derogation from his fame; if in

* This point is established not only by the list referred to, but by a passage in a pamphlet already quoted, entitled Pierce Pennilesse his Supplication to the Devil, written by Thomas Nashe, quarto 1592: "Whereas the afternoone being the eldest time of the day, wherein men that are their owne masters (as gentlemen of the Court, the Innes of court, and the number of captaines and soldiers about London) do wholly bestow themselves upon pleasure, and that pleasure they divide (how virtuously it skilles not) into gaming, following of harlots, drinking, or seeing a play; is it not then better, since of foure extreames all the world cannot keepe them but they will choose one, that they should betake them to the least, which is Playes? Nay, what if I prove playes to be no extreame, but a rare exercise of vertue? First, for the subject of them; for the most part it is borrowed out of our ENGLISH CHRONICLES, wherein our fore-fathers' valiant actes, that have been long buried in rustie brasse, and worme eaten bookes, are revived, and they themselves raised from the grave of oblivion, and brought to plead their aged honours in open presence; than which, what can be a sharper reproofe to these degenerate days of ours?"

After an eulogium on the brave Lord Talbot, and on the actor who had personated him in a popular play of that time, "before ten thousand spectators at the least;" (which has already been printed in a former page) and after observing "what a glorious thing it is to have King Henry the Fifth represented on the stage, leading the French king prisoner, and forcing both him and the Dolphin to swear,"- the writer adds these words:

"In playes, all cousenages, all cunning drifts, over-guilded with outward holinesse, all stratagems of warre, all the canker-wormes that breed in the rust of peace, are most lively anatomized. They show the ill successe of treason, the fall of hasty climbers, the wretched end of usurpers, the miserie of civil dissention, and how just God is evermore in punishing murder. And to prove every one of these allegations, could I propound the circumstances of this play and that, if I meant to handle this theame otherwise than obiter." It is highly probable that the words," the miserie of civil dissention," allude to the very plays which are the subjects of the present disquisition, The first Part of the Contention of the Two Houses, &c. and The true Tragedie of Richard Duke of Yorke; as, by "the wretched end of Usurpers," and the justice of God in “punishing murder," old plays on the subject of King Richard III, and that of Hamlet, prior to those of Shakspeare, were, I believe, alluded to.

deed fame was ever an object of his thoughts. We know that plays on the subjects of Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, King John, King Richard II, King Henry IV, King Henry V, King Richard III, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra, and, I strongly suspect, on those of Hamlet, Timon of Athens, and Julius Cæsar, existed before he commenced a dramatick author; and perhaps in process of time it may be found, that many of the fables of his other plays also had been unskilfully treated, and produced upon the stage, by preceding writers. Such are the only lights that I am able to throw on this very dark subject. The arguments which I have stated have entirely satisfied my own mind; whether they are entitled to bring conviction to the minds of others, I shall not presume to determine. I produce them, however, with the more confidence, as they have the approbation of one who has given such decisive proofs of his taste and knowledge, by ascertaining the extent of Shakspeare's learning, that I have no doubt his thoughts on the present question also, will have that weight with the public to which they are undoubtedly entitled. It is almost unnecessary to add, that I mean my friend Dr. Farmer; who many years ago delivered it as his opinion, that these plays were not written originally by Shakspeare.* Malone.

Mr. Theobald's and Dr. Warburton's idea on which the foregoing Dissertation is founded, had received countenance from the opinion of Dr. Farmer. Mr. Malone, with much labour and ingenuity, has given support to the sentiments of these gentlemen; but, in my judgment, if he proves any thing, it is a position hazarded by me long ago; viz. that our author had as much hand in the present dramas, as in several others that pass under his

name

Of the first part of these three Histories, however, it is asserted, that in colour of style, &c. it bears no resemblance to the other works of our author. As I think, among the notes on that piece, I have advanced some proofs to the contrary, in this place I shall be content to add, that it as strongly resembles the latter dramas of Shakspeare, as the Dream of Raphael resembles his Transfiguration. Between the first and last performances of great masters, there is often but a small, if any, degree of resemblance. Sir Joshua Reynolds studied under Hudson, and at first imitated his manner; but is a trace of the almost forgotten master discoverable in the mature and applauded works of the pupil? Steevens.

i

END OF VOL. X.

T. S. Manning, Printer, No. 143 North Third Street.

HA

« ZurückWeiter »