shakspeare's writings. 29 



the composition of his mind so singular, that it were 

 ridiculous to measure his by the standard o{ ordinary 

 feehngs. Such a mind is scarcely to be found in the 

 wide world; and, when it appears in the confines of a 

 court, it is like to play sad pranks. It is disgusted 

 by what to others proves dazzhng. Unable to find 

 companionship in the palace it seeks acquaintance 

 elsewhere ; and if the livery of state, make its pro- 

 fessor look like a Tom Fool, he gives his ermine to 

 a masquerader and suits himself like a gentleman. 

 Horatio spoke of Hamlet's father as a " goodly 

 King:'' — but Hamlet only valued him as a man, 

 whose like, taken for all in all he should not look 

 upon again. 



Thus much for the isolated Hamlet. Macbeth 

 now claims attention : we will also summon Richard 

 the Third before us, and regard the two blood-stained 

 heroes together. We have here a striking example 

 of that individuality which has been alluded to as 

 the great characteristic of Shakspeare's creations. 



Macbeth and Richard — they are both usurpers, 

 murderers, courageous and superstitious : but ia the 

 one instance, our abhorrence is subdued by a portion 

 of unextinguishable esteem ; in the other by a species 

 of admiration. Gleams of virtue and soft humanity 

 relieve the darkness of Macbeth's guilt; while 

 Richard dazzles by the splendor of an unflinching 

 and remorseless career of iniquity. Both are actua- 

 ted by ambition, and both yield to its influence ; but 

 Macbeth turns upon it as an enemy, while Richard 

 glories in obeying its impulse. In the one case, we 

 see a man born for better things, and acting, as mere 

 war-horse, under the spur, lash, and guidance of a 

 fiend : in the other, we behold a villain, the extrava- 

 gance of whose ripened iniquity is no more than 

 consistent with his infantine promise, and, indeed it 

 may be said that, instead of being ridden by the 

 fiend, he is himself the rider. The '' milk of human 

 kindness " is still flowing amid the iniquitous desires 

 o{ the one : the sense of Nature's denial never leaves 



