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I DO not here infift upon the critic's own imph'ed admiffion, 

 that the fcenes before us contain a weighty charge of cowardice. 

 If he had not confidercd them as bearing hard upon his theory, he 

 would fcarcely have fet afide the very firft fcenes, in which FalftafF 

 appears, to the laft. But let us fee how he fatisfies the reader, 

 even with the advantage of thefe prejudices with which, not the 

 poet, but the critic hath prepared his mind. In the firft place, 

 we are taught to entertain an ill opinion of Poins, as an un- 

 amiable, if not a bad and brutifli charadler : and to conclude his 

 condudt towards FalflafF to have arifen from malice and ill-will. 

 I muft own this is a new impreffion of his charadter on me, who 

 have been accuftomed to view him as a wild and diffipated fellow 

 like the reft of the party ; and though he never failed to ufe 

 FalftafF as a butt, yet doing this without the leaft malicious in- 

 tent, and merely to draw out of him entertainment for the 

 prince. To fuppofe that Poins contrived this plot with an ill- 

 natured defign, would greatly impair, if not utterly deftroy its 

 humour : nor can I difcover throughout the whole charader any 

 thing to juftify the cenfure here paffed upon him, w'ith a view, 

 as it fhould feem, to render his opinion fufpeded. In the next 

 place, the writer endeavours to prove FalftafTs courage, even 

 from the judgment of this Poins. When the prince fays, " I 

 " doubt they will be too hard for us." Poins replies, " Well, 

 " for two of them, I know them to be as true-bred cowards as 

 " ever turned back ; and for the third, if he fight longer than 

 " he fees caufe, I will forfwear arms," Upon this pafTage the 

 criticifm is remarkable. " As to the third, for fo he defcribes 

 *' Falftaff, as if the name of this veteran would have excited too 

 " ftrongly the ideas of courage and refiftance, &c. &c." The 



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