284 POTATOES. [PART n. 



reply io an attack on the morals and govern 

 ment and learning of the Americans, in the 

 " Quarterly Review," states, as matter of jus 

 tification, that the People of America sigh 

 with delight to see the plays of Shakespear, 

 whom they claim as their countryman; an ho 

 nour, if it be disputed, of which I will make 

 any of them a voluntary surrender of my share. 

 Now, Sir, what can induce the American to sit 

 and hear with delight the dialogues of Falstaff 

 and Poins, and Dame Quickely and Doll Tear- 

 sheet? What can restrain them from pelting 

 Parson Hugh, Justice Shallow, Bardolph, and 

 the whole crew off the stage? What can make 

 them endure a ghost cap-a-pie, a prince, who, 

 for justice sake, pursues his uncle and hi smo 

 ther, and who stabs an old gentleman in sport, 

 and cries out " dead for a ducat ! dead !" What 

 can they find to " delight" them in punning 

 clowns, in ranting heroes, in sorcerers, ghosts, 

 witches, fairies, monsters, sooth-sayers, dream 

 ers ; in incidents out of nature, in scenes most 

 unnecessarily bloody. How they must be de* 

 lighted at the story of Lear putting the ques 

 tion to his daughters of which loved him most, 

 and then dividing his kingdom among them, 

 according to their professions of love; how de 

 lighted to see the fantastical disguise of Edgar, 

 the treading out Gloucester's eyes, and the trick 



