CHARACTER of HAMLET. 261 



gaged in drink, rage, inceft, gaming, fwearing, or other act 

 that had " no relifli of falvation in't $»" 



Then trip him, that his heels may kick at Heaven, 

 And that his foul may be as damn'd and black 

 As hell, whereto it goes. 



The fentiments in this laft paffage have been coniidered as 

 the moft difficult to be defended in the whole character of 

 Hamlet. Without having recourfe to a defence of them up- 

 on the principle of retaliation, and other pleas, there feems to 

 be ground for an explication of a very different nature, founded 

 upon what appears to be the real character of this perfonage, 

 and altogether exculpating him from the charge of thofe horrid 

 difpofitions which he has been fuppofed here to poffefs. 



Hamlet, in thefe lines, (if it may be allowed to offer a 

 conjecture) was really impofing upon himfelf * ', devifing an excufe 

 for his averfion at bloodfhed, for his cowardice, his " craven 

 " fcruple." In the firft moments, he propofes inftantly to 

 flrike — " now I'll do't." His ordinary foftnefs immediately 

 recurs ; and he endeavours to hide it from himfelf, by project- 

 ing a more awful death at a future period, but which he feems 

 never to have thought of afterwards, and which was not at all 

 confonant to his general character. Indeed, what the king him- 

 felf faid of him afterwards, upon bafely propofing to Laertes 

 to ufe " a fword unbated," is a fufficient proof that there was 

 nothing dark or malignant in his nature. 



He being remifs, 



Moft generous, and free from all contriving, 

 Will not perufe the foils. 



The 



* Since writing this Eflay, I have the pleafure to find, that the fame idea has oc- 

 uirred to Mr Profeflfor Richardson, in his additional obfervations on Hamlet j and 

 which he has fuccefsfully enlarged upon. 



