cannot fail, even though lefs advantageoufly represented than by a Garrick and a Pritchard, to agitate every audience. The time, the very witching time of night,' and the state of Hamlet's mind, when he

could drink hot blood, and do fuch bitter bufinefs as the day would quake to

look on,' prepare us for this important conference. The fituation, that of a fon endeavouring to reclaim a parent, is exceedingly interefting. All the fentiments and emotions are animated, and expreffive of character. In the Queen we difcern the confidence of a guilty mind, that, by the artifices of felf-deceit, has put to filence the upbraidings of confcience. We difcern in her the dexterity of those perverted by evil habits, to abuse their own understandings, and conceal from themfelves their blemishes. We alfo perceive in her the anguifh and horror of a mind, appalled and confounded by the consciousnefs of its depravity, and its eager follici

tude

tude to be rescued, by any means, from the perfecuting and painful feeling. Hamlet, full of affection, ftudies to fecure her tranquility: And, guided by moral principles, he endeavours to eftablifh it on the foundation of virtue. Animated by every generous and tender fentiment, and convinced of the fuperior excellence and dignity of an unblemished conduct, he cannot bear that those who are dear to him fhould be depraved. It is to gratify this amiable temper, that he labours to renew, in the mifguided Gertrude, a sense of honour and of merit, to turn her attention, without fubterfuge or difguife, on her own behaviour; and fo restore her to her former fame. He adminifters his medicine with reluctance: It is harfh, but the disease is defperate. It is not suitable to the agitated ftate of his mind, to enter fedately into a formal and argumentative difcuffion of the impiety and immorality of her conduct: He mentions these in a

fummary manner; and, following the impulfe of his own mind, he fpeaks the language of ftrong emotion, addresses her feelings, and endeavours to convey into her heart fome portion of the indignation with which he is himself inflamed.

Look here upon this picture, and on this;
The counterfeit prefentment of two brothers.
See, what a grace was feated on this brow:
Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;
An eye, like Mars, to threaten or command;
A ftation, like the herald Mercury,
New-lighted on a heaven-kiffing hill;
A combination, and a form, indeed,
Where every god did feem to fet his feal,
To give the world affurance of a man:

This was your hufband.-Look you now, what follows;
Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,

Blafting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?

Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes?

The contraft in thefe lines co-operating with other causes, has a very ftriking efThe tranfition from admiration to abhorrence, in a remarkable degree,

fect.

heightens

heightens the latter. Hamlet dwells minutely on every circumftance of his father's character: But, paffing from that to the picture of Claudius, his perturbation is vifibly augmented; his indignation and abhorrence are almost too exceffive for utterance: And the difference between the two characters appearing to him fo manifeft as to render a particular illuftration needlefs, he reflects with severity on that woeful perverfion of mind that blunted the feelings and perceptions of Gertrude.

You cannot call it, love; for, at your age,

The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble,
And waits upon the judgment; and what judgment
Would ftep from this to this?

He convinces her of her guilt: But fo fallacious and fo impofing are evil habits, that, in spite of her recent conviction, she would yield herself to their fuggestions: By fuppofing her fon difordered, she would leffen the authority of his arguI 3 ment,

ment, and fo relapfe. Hamlet, perceiving the workings of her invention, and anxious for her recovery, touches the distempered part of her foul with a delicate and fkillful hand: He infufes fuch golden inftruction, and difcovers fuch penetration and knowledge of human nature, as would have dignified a philofopher. He tempers the feverity of his admonition with mildnefs; and affures her in a pathetic manner, that affection, and zeal for her welfare, are his only motives.

Mother, for love of grace,

Lay not that flattering unction to your foul,
That not your trefpaís, but my madness, speaks:
It t will but skin, and film the ulcerous place;
Whilft rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unfeen. Confefs yourfelf to heaven;
Repent what's paft; avoid what is to come;
And do not fpread the compoft on the weeds
To make them ranker. Forgive me this my virtue
For, in the fatness of these purfy times,.
Virtue itself of vice muft pardon beg,

Yea, curb and wooe, for leave to do him good.

2. Oh Hamlet! thou haft cleft my heart in twain.