26o An ESSAr on the 



from an abyfs of anguifli, to make a mere fport of human fuf- 

 ferings. 



The caufes of Hamlet's dilatory progrefs have been ah-eady 

 pointed out in general ; and the more narrowly we take a view 

 of him, the more we fliall always find his fenfibility to be, in 

 the firfl moments, fuch, as led to inftant and mortal acflion, 

 while his gentlenefs, like an equal weight on the other fide, 

 counteraded its whole force. Shakespeare has defcribed 

 him, in the cool fiiate of his mind, as averfe, and even fiiocked, 

 at the thought of killing. His mother faid, that, in this ftate, 

 he was " as patient as the female dove." If we take his own 

 account of himfelf, he was a coward : 



Now, whether it be 



Befl;ial oblivion, or fome craven fcruple 



Of thinking too precifely on the event — 



A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wifdom, 



And ever three parts, coward — I do not know, 



Why yet I live to fay, This tiling's to do. 



There was a fuperftition alfo in Hamlet, which pre- 

 vented him from putting the ufurper to death, when in the a(5l 

 of prayer. For the reafon he himfelf gave for deferring this, 

 was, that if he killed the king in the midfl: of his devotions, 

 he would in fad be doing him a good fervice, " fending a 

 " villain to heaven." 



Why, this is hire and falary, not revenge. 



He took my father grofsly, full of bread, 



With all his crimes broad blown, as flufh as May ; 



And how his audit ftands, who knows fave Heaven ? 



He put up his fword, and waited till he fhould find him en- 

 gaged 



