42 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



following these, we have the meditative Hamlet and thoughtless 

 Mercutio; and the melancholy Jaques, hiirring into the woody 

 covert, to avoid the gibes and humorous frivolities of Gratiano, 

 Touchstone and a crew of merry jesters. 



And here, is *' withered murder" ushering forward the fear- 

 fraught and relenting Macbeth, who cowers before his undaunted 

 and remorseless Partner, as impenetrable to the sting of conscience 

 as Isabella, the noble heroine of Measure for Measure, is to the 

 instigations of sin. Following these are the credulous Othello 

 and his designing ancient — the merciful Portia and the inexorable 

 Shylock — the passionate Lear and his heartless daughters — the 

 inflated Bolinbrokeand humbled Richard — the conscience- stricken 

 Clarence and guilt-glorying Glos'ter. 



" And here comes Romeo, without his roe, like a dried herring/' 

 What a contrast have we here, with Hotspur the rough contemner 

 of " metre ballad mongers," whose only desire, in lieu of a melt- 

 ing mistress, is to embrace the mailed Prince Harry " with a 

 soldier's arm, and make him shrink beneath the courtesy." Next 

 we see the flying forms of a whole host of " VVaterflies," bullies, 

 and braggarts (among whom we recognize our friends Pistol and 

 Parolles) hasting with most politic alacrity before the gallant 

 Faulconbridge, whose very name acts a spell upon our manliest 

 feelings. 



As the very essence of earthly grossness and imaginative mon- 

 strosity we are now confronted by the revolting figure of Caliban 

 — a grovelling combination of bridled ferocity, revenge, and sen- 

 suality. And, see; — his opposite in that ** tricksy spirit," (whose 

 couch is a cowslip's bell) the dainty, delicate Ariel. And here 

 comes "Puck," "that merry wand'rer of the night," Queen 

 Mab and her equipage, with all the fairy subjects of Oberon and 

 Titania, 



Nor let us fail to greet, with a smile, the simple Audrey ; and, 

 with a kiss, the witty Rosalind. Can we refuse our pardon to the 

 self conceit of Malvolio, or our admiration for the modesty of 

 Orlando ? These are followed by Sir Andrew Aguecheek, whose 

 name bespeaks his quality, admirably foiled by the mellowness of 

 that true toper Sir Toby Belch. The meagre minded Shallow, 

 with his cousin Slender, come next — but, how now ? — wherefore 

 this gap in the procession — Is it then at an end ? Are Slender 

 and Shallow then to have no foil ? Hark ! whence this puffing, 

 as one of whose obesity somewhat retards the rapidity of his 

 progress : — " Ah ! now we see 'tis true ; " for the burning Beacon 



