[ '4 ] 



tricatc knot, but unfolding it with a wonderful ileight and 

 charaderiftic eafe. His adverfaries, who were taunting and bitter 

 enough, have nothing to reply to this explanation. He feems 

 to feel his vidory complete, when he adds, " But, lads, I am 

 •' glad you have the money : hoftefs, clap to the doors j watch 

 " to-night, pray to-morrow, &c." The prince, it is true, re- 

 plies to his propofal for having a play extempore. " Content ; 

 " and the argument fliall be thy running away." From which, 

 by the way, we may fee the point of cowardice was a main 

 objed of the fcene; and this is confirmed both by FalftafF's con- 

 feilion and manner of accounting for it, and alfo by his con- 

 cluding reply to the prince in this fcene. "■ Ah, no more of 

 " that, Hal, if thou lov'ft me." Upon the whole, the lies do 

 not appear to be the fole, nor even the principal objedl of this 

 fcene ; the plot was originally contrived upon a previous con- 

 jedure from his charader, that he would firft ad the coward and 

 next the liar: the affair at Gadfhill juftified the opinion of Poins 

 as to both, and the prefent occafion goes to their joint convidion : 

 and yet thus convided he baffles every attempt ; the verfality 

 of his wit and gaiety of his humour delight and furprife us, fo 

 fuccefsfully does he play with thofe weapons which other hands 

 dare not touch. 



I HAVE gone pretty largely into an examination of thofe firft 

 fcenes of Falftaff's appearance, becaufe I cannot help thinking 

 that the poet defigned them to be of great importance in im- 

 preffing his charader: and I have examined the impreffions, not 

 in the order affigned them by the ingenious critic, but that in 

 which they arofe under the hands of the poet. Thefe firft 



appearances, 



