Ik} 
Te seems éxtraordinary that the character 
of lock should ever have been re- 
garded as allied to comedy. Yet we 
Know, that, before Macklin appeared, it 
was represented, or rather mis-repre- 
sented, by Hippesley, the Shuter of his 
time, in a style of merriment, And very 
fecently, Mr. Cooke, who is an excellent 
comedian, but whose powers in tragedy 
are very limited, has attempted to imtro- 
ducé something of comic effect into his 
petfortiance of this character, which 
¢antiot be approved by those who re- 
member the deeply-tragic colouring of 
Macklin. 
Look how the floor of heaven 
Is thick enlayed with pattens of bright 
gold; 
There’s not the smallest orb which thou be- 
hold’st, 
But in his motion like an angel sings, 
Still quiring to the young-eyed cheru- 
bims: 
Such harniony is in immortal souls 5 
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay 
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it. 
: Act V. Scene 1. 
Dr. Warburton changes, erroneously be- 
yond adoubt, sowls to sounds. Dr. John- 
son rightly explains the passage, by inter- 
pteting harmony to be the power of per- 
ceiving harmony; as music in thé soul is 
the quality of being moved with concord 
of sweet sounds. But he alters, without 
fiecessity, and by a deviation from the 
true meaning, “ immortal. souls” to “the 
immortal soul.” The purport of the pas- 
sage is, “Such power of deriving bliss 
from hartnony resides in the immortal 
souls of ine, as well as in angels and 
eherubims; but we cannot éxercise it in 
the present inferior state of existence. 
As You Lrxe Ir.— Act IT. Scene 7. 
_—And then the Justice 
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d, 
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, 
Full of wise saws and modern instances, 
And so he plays his part. 
a * 
Dr. Warburton observes, that Shakes. 
_ peare uses modern in the double sense, 
_ that the Grecks used xetvoe both for recens 
~ and absurdus. 
ow 
But modern is not used 
Shakespeare either for recens or 
 absurdus, but for slight or trivial; as in 
this very play, Act iv. Scene 1: “ And 
hetray themselves to every modern cen- 
sure.” Soin King John, “ And scornsa 
modern invocation.” And ia All’s Well 
that Ends Well. ‘Her insait coming 
with her modern grace 3” and in Mac- 
bith (to quote no farther exaimples,) 
“Montuty Mac. No, 210, 
Critical Remarks on Shakespeare. 
is 
«* Where violent sorrow seems a modern 
ecstacy.” The meaning is, That the jus- 
tice has collected a greatnumber of com- 
mon-placé maxim3, which he is forward 
and eager to apply to every slight and 
trivial occasion. 
Blow, blow, thou winter wind 5 
Thou art not so unkind 
As man’s ingratitude 5 
Thy tooth is not so keen, 
Because thou art not seen, i" 
Altho’ thy breath be rude. 2b. Tb. 
Various attempts have been made to core 
rect the fifth line of this stanza, but with 
very ill success. Dr. Warburton would 
fain persuade us to read, ‘¢ thou art not 
sheen ;” that is, shining or smiling. Sir 
Thomas Hanmer, by a dangerous and 
anwarrantable license; changes the whole 
line to “thou causest net that teen.” 
Dr. Farmer proposes, ‘‘ because the 
heart’s not seen.” And Mr. Musgrave, 
“because thou art fore-seen.” After 
all, perhaps, the only alteration necessary 
may be teen for seen, and the sense wilk 
thenjbe, ‘‘ Because, though thou art,pain, 
thou art not sorrow; though thou art a 
sharp and bitter evil, still thou art a pa- 
tural and not a mental one.” 
Will you sterner be 
Than He that dies and lives by bloody drops ? 
‘Act IE. Scene 5. 
After several learned notes on this’ pas- 
sage, and proposals of amendment, we 
have a common-sense explanation of it in 
three lines by Mr. Tollet, viz. ‘* He who 
lives and dies by bloody drops, continues 
to the end of life in the office of an exe- 
cutioner.” So, Act v. Scene 2, of this 
play, we read, ; 
‘¢ Here will I live and die a shepherd.” 
Many will swoon when they do look of 
blood, 
There is more in it—cousin !—Ganimede ! 
‘ Act IV. Scene 3. 
“Celia, in her first fright,” says Dr. 
Johnson, ‘ forgets Rosalind’s character 
and disguise, and calls out, Cousin! 
Then recollects herself, and says, Gani- 
mede!” And, in her fright too, it may be 
remarked, she is very near blabbing the 
secret of Rosalind’s love for Orlando. 
“There is more in it.” These are ge- 
nuine touches of nature, | . 
This is a very interesting and beautifal ° 
comedy. The pastoral and forest sce- 
nery, connected with the Fable, gives ita 
wild and romantic air. | The characters 
are natural, and delineated with skill and 
felicity. That of the melancholy Jaques, 
ig altogether original, aud exhibits ex- 
Er quisite 
