1311.] 
not written by Shakespeare, isan opinion 
founded on the strongest presumptive 
evidence. It bears no resemblance to 
his genuine productions ia its versifica- 
tion, style, or diction; and possesses no 
portion of his spirit, The @d and Sd 
parts of this history originally published, 
A.D. 1660, under the title of “ The 
Contention of York and Lancaster,” 
were undoubtedly, as Dr. Juhusoa has 
remarked, designed to continue the series 
of transactions of which it pre-supposes 
the first part already known ;’’—the 
former portion terminaung with the court- 
ehip, and the latter commencing with 
the marriage of Margaret of Anjou with 
the king. The epilogue to Henry V. 
speaks of the history of Henry VI. “in 
infant bands” crowned King of France 
and England as having oft been shewn on 
the stage: but this by no means proves 
that Shakespeare was the author of the 
first part. {If tie wrote the second and 
third parts either wholly or in great mea-= 
sure, he would naturally take up the 
story where the former dramatist laid it 
down. That the second and_ third 
arts of this drama contain many scenes 
which could proceed only from the pen 
of this mighty poet, is undeniable: but 
they are blended with others of a totally 
@ifferent stamp and complexion; and 
completely assimilating with the first 
part, which exhibits no trace of the ge- 
nius of Shakespeare, and of which it is 
probable that net a single line was writ- 
ten by him. The authority of the player 
editors, who have ascribed to him such 
erforinances as Locrine, the Jife and 
Death of Lord Uroimwell, and Titus An- 
dronicus, cannot be regarded as of the 
slightest estimation. 
Henry VI. Part [l-— Act. I. Scene 8. 
Ask what thou wilt—that I had said and done! 
Have done—for more I hardly can endure, 
_ In Gray’s Descent of Odin-the spirit 
of the prophetess delivers her predictions 
svith the same constraint and reluctance ; 
and expresses a similar resentmeut and 
indignation at the forcible and presump- 
anous violation of her deep and iron 
slumber. The “hallowed verge” is an 
idea whick does not occur in the tragedy 
of Macbeth, though very poetical and 
‘congruous to vulgar opinion, And other 
‘sparks we may discern of the ** Muse of 
fire” which was destined to produce that 
prodigy of dramatic art and genius, — 
Wer. Sweet York begin; and ifthy claim 
u be good, : 
‘The Nevils are thy subjects to command. 
7'°Yirk, Theathus—. 9 et IL, Scene 2, 
Critical Remarks oi Shakespeare. 
411 
It.is worthy of remark that the here- 
ditary title of York to the crown is in 
this scene stated very clearly, and ina 
manner conformable to historical truth, 
But in the first part of Henry VI. the 
claim of the House of March, from whom 
the right of York was derived, is enve- 
loped in strange and inextricable confu- 
sion; an additional proof that the former 
part was not the production of Shakes- 
peare. 
Act If, Scene 1.—-The scenes which 
pass in the Abbey of Bury, displaying 
the machinations of the queen, the car- 
dinal, Suffolk, and York, against the Duke 
of Glocester, are not of the genuine cast 
and colour of Shakespeare, whose mayie 
pen nevertheless again appears in the 
description given by Warwick, of the 
murder of the duke 3 and still more con- 
spicuously in the celebrated death bed 
scene of Cardinal Beaufort; the beauties 
of which, as Dr. Johnson emphatically 
observes, ‘ rise out of nature and of 
truth. The superficial reader cannot 
miss them, the profound can image no- 
thing beyond them.” The greater part 
of the two last acts seems of very dubi- 
ous authority. 
Hewry VI. Part 3, 
Act I, Scene 5. The interesting in- 
cidents of this scene, seem to have 
awakened the genius of Shakespeare, 
which had long lain dormant, or if at all 
apparent, glimmering with faint and feeble 
lustre. The fury of Clifford, the malice 
of the queen, and the anguish of York, 
are painted in glowing colours, and in the 
style of a master. | 
Henry VI. Part 3.—t I. Scene 5, 
This battle fares like to the morning’s war, 
When dying clouds contend with growing 
light, é&c. 
This speech of the king may rank among 
the most beautifal effusions of Shake. 
speare’s Muse in her mournful moods; 
aud presents amidst the tumult and hor- 
ror of the battle, as our English Longi- 
nus has obse: ved, “a delightful glimpse 
of rural innocence and pastoral tranquil- 
lity.” I am strongly disposed to think 
that the short speech iu the quarto, of 
which this is so noble an enlargement, 
was written not by Shakespeare, but by 
his theatrical pre-cursor. It is too flat, 
too feeble, and too prosaic, to come 
from the pen of the great poet, whose al- 
‘ehymy, and whose alone, could produce 
gold of the purest lustre from the vilest 
dross. ite 
—For Warwick. isa,subtle ovator,, .) 
And Louis a prince soon wo 
with moving 
words. 
Act IIT. Scene 1. 
Whether from ignorance or inadver- 
LCHicy, 
