CHARACTER of HAMLET. 255 



the term employed by the king) to defcribe the " transformation" 

 which he fhould undergo. For this purpofe, he kept an atteff- 

 tive and an undeviating eye upon Hamlet's previous and ge- 

 neral charadler, (fuch as he had figured it to be) without any 

 intention to add a fingle new feature, but only to take in fuch 

 new afpedls of it, fuch new exertions of his powers, and fuch 

 new fchemes of condu(5l, as fhould naturally flow from his new 

 fituations. 



This being fuppofed, the new colours under which Hamlet 

 appears will be found entirely confident with the old, and 

 fpringing lineally from them ; an indignation and fenfibility 

 irritated to extreme ; the deepefl anguifli ; at times a mortal 

 melancholy ; a counterfeited madnefs, in order to wait for op- 

 portunities of revenge j and a degree of real phrenzy, to 

 which he feems, more than once, to have been actually driven 

 by the ftrength of his feelings, through force of which he 

 was fometimes upon the point of betraying his own fecret. 

 Still, however, there was neither violence, nor forrow, nor me- 

 lancholy, nor madnefs, in the original and natural ftate of his 

 mind. 



What feems to explain the whole of Hamlet's condud is 

 the latitude of his charadler. He was at once a polifhed gen- 

 tleman, a foldier, a fcholar and a philofopher ; as in the excla- 

 mation of Ophelia : 



O what a noble mind is here o'erthrown ! 



The courtier's, foldier's, fcholar's, eye, tongue, fword. 



At one time, mild, courteous and contemplative ; at another, 

 animated with the keeneft feelings ; upon occafions, all wrath 

 and fire ; looking down, at all times, as if from a fuperior orb,, 

 upon whatever was little, infincere or bafe among men. 



Now, 



