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trujy critical appears ; but appears like, the folitary fhrub in a 

 barren defert — a memento of the furrounding wafte. In the 

 Tempe/i, where fuch remarks occur moft frequeptly, they are yet 

 fcattered with fuch a niggard hand as will by no means fatisfy 

 the reader who defircs to inveftigatc the fource of thofe feelings 

 which are excited in every page of a favourite poet. That defire. 

 gave birth to the following pages in the hours of relaxation 

 from feverer ftudies. And that defire, it is hoped, will at leaU 

 avert the fcverity of cenfure from an attempt which muft fall 

 indeed far Ihort of rneriting applaufe. 



The firfl: thing which claims our attention in this play is the 

 opening. This is a part in which of all others it is moft difficult 

 to fuccced. And accordingly we find it generally unnatural and 

 almoft always languid. It is a part to which, when we liften 

 moft favourably, we liften with cold indifference, and in which 

 the poet's higheft ambition feenis to be to inform the under- 

 ftanding, not to afFetl the heart. That it is no eafy tafk to 

 attain even this end without difgufting by frequent tfanfgreffions 

 of nature and probability, we may be convinced from the number 

 and eminence of thofe who have failed in the attempt. Hence 

 on the antient ftage, even after it had made large advances 

 towards perfedion, the prologue frequently gave fuch information 

 to the audience, as was neceffary for underftanding the fuc- 

 ceeding fcenes. And to me indeed this cuftom appears far 

 preferable to that of attaching an aukward introdu6lion to the 

 body of the drama. Nor do I fee why we fhould ftill retain the 

 prologue, yet rcjed the principal advantage which may be derived 

 from its introdudion. That painting, no doubt, is moft excellent 



( F 2 ) which 



