shakspeare's writings. 31 



pecked. Macbeth is, after all, a coadj utor — Richard 

 is, — " himself alone ! " — Moreover, Richard is, per- 

 haps, out of ordinary nature. The contemplation of 

 his character can, therefore, have little effect upon us. 

 The salutary effect of the tragedy of Macbeth is 

 entirely referable to the hold possessed by the hero 

 on the spectator's sympathy. Richard, on the con- 

 trary, we regard with a kind of gaping wonder, as 

 we should a Bengal tiger. We know ourselves to 

 be in a gieat measure the creatures of custom, cir- 

 cumstance, education ; but Richard is described as 

 of monstrous birth. We are shocked at an ordinary 

 man's iniquity ; but we literally smile at his. He is 

 constitutionally an arrant scoundrel. 'T is his voca- 

 tion to " bite, snarl, and play the dog," and he does 

 play the dog so thoroughly, that human beings are 

 morally uninfluenced by his actions or fate. The 

 maraudings and untimely death of an ouran outang 

 would be as likely to prove seductive or intimidating 

 as the " Life and Death of Shakspeare's Richard 3rd. 

 But, if in this — as in one or two other instances — 

 nature be " overdone " — and, consequently, moral 

 deduction be put aside — yet, the character is admi- 

 rable as a creation, as an incarnation of villainy, and 

 as serving to foil another character natural in all its 

 features. 



Macbeth (with all his extremity of guilt) is " one 

 of us" — alive to pity and remorse — capable of exalted 

 sentiments and of appreciating virtue in others — 

 sensible to gratitude — valuing reputation — yet a 

 murderer ! 



Lady Macbeth's portrait of her husband here 

 suggests itself to our memory. 



" Glamis thou art, and Cawdor : and sbalt be 



What thou art promised . Yet, do I fear thy nature : 



It is too full o* the milk of human kindness 



To catch the nearest way. Thou would'st be great 



Art not without ambition ; but without 



The illness should attend it. Wliat thou would'st highly 



That would'st thou holily; would'st not play false 



And yet would'st wrongly win. Thou 'dst have great Glamis 



