1811.] Critical Remarks on Shakespeare, 225 
Almost too small for sight. The murmuring 
surge 
That on the unnumber’d idle pebbles chafes, 
Cannot be heard so high. I’ll look no more^ 
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight 
Topple down headlong. 
Ibid. Scene 6. 
The lively observation of Mr. Addison, 
“ that he who can read this description 
without being giddy, has a very good 
head or a very bad one,” is somewhat 
invidiously stigmatized by Dr. Johnson, 
as “ a poor attempt at pleasantry.” And 
the reasoning of Dr. Johnson himself, 
on this celebrated passage, seems not 
well founded. “ He that looks from a 
precipice,” says he, “ finds himself as¬ 
sailed by one great and dreadful image 
of irresistible destruction. But this 
overwhelming idea is dissipated, and en¬ 
feebled from the instant that the mind 
can restore itself to the observation of 
particulars, and diffuse its attention to 
distinct objects.” But, if Dr. J. had 
ever stood on the extreme verge of the 
precipice thus described, he would pro¬ 
bably have been convinced, that Shakes¬ 
peare conformed to the order of nature 
in the expression, first of the sublime 
emotion excited by the terrific magni¬ 
ficence of the view; and then in de¬ 
scending to the specific objects which 
force themselves upon the astonisiied 
gaze; such as the choughs and crows 
which wing the mid-way air, the man 
gathering samphire, the fishermen upon 
the beach, and the tall anchoring bark 
diminished to her boat. Though the 
note here remarked upon be soinewliat 
of the cynical cast, I am far from re¬ 
garding this as the predominant charac¬ 
teristic of Dr. J.’s criticisms. It is not 
enough to say that no one has bestowed 
praise, in innumerable instances, with 
more sagacity and discrimination; for it 
is equally true that no writer has ap¬ 
plauded with greater warmth, or mf;«e 
glowing enthusiasm. And the kindness 
and condescension often displayed by 
that great and good man in private life, 
must'still be remembered by many, wiih 
emotions of pleasure and gratitude. 
“ Lofty and sour to those who sought 
him not; but to those men that souglit 
him, sweet as summer.” 
When we are born, we cry that we are come 
To this great stage of tools—-This a good 
block — 
It were a delicate stratagem to shoe 
A troop ©f horse with felt; i’il put it in proof. 
Ibid. ib. 
Dr, Johnson, with great felicity of con¬ 
jecture, proposes to substitute Jiock for 
block. But this is objected to by Mr. 
Steevens, who adduces no fewer than 
twelve quotations from Green’s “ Tu- 
quoque,” Decker’s, “ Gul’s Hornbook,’^ 
and other works of equal celebrity, to 
prove that the term block is used in 
reference to hats, as well as horses: and 
therefore, that it may be connected with 
felt. What can he said of such serious 
trifling, such superfluous elaboration? 
To laugh, were want of goodness and of 
grace ; 
And to be grave, exceeds all power of face.” 
Again, liowever, it must be acknow¬ 
ledged, that many of Mr. Steevens’s ex¬ 
planations of obscure and difficult pas¬ 
sages are just, and his illustrations oc¬ 
casionally apposite and happy, 
--Know thou this, that men 
Are as the time is—To be tender-minded 
Does not become a sword; thy great employ¬ 
ment 
Will not bear question; either say thou’lt 
do’t, 
Or thrive by other means. 
Act V. Scene 3. 
Dr. Warburton, who has imperiously 
reprimanded his predecessor, I heobgld, 
for altering the text of a passage he did 
not understand, has indulged us with an 
explanation, which proves that he did not 
understand it himself. By great emplo^^ 
merit, he rightly says, was meant the 
commission given lor the assassination of 
Lear and Cordelia, which, being signed 
by Edmund and Goneril, W'as sufficient 
to make this captain unaccountable for 
the execution.” By the words “ thy 
great employment will not bear ques¬ 
tion,” then he supposes Edmund to mean 
the validity or auihoiity of your com¬ 
mission will not bear question. But this 
is inconsistent with the scope and spirit 
of the passage. The captain, as it ap¬ 
pears, was not unapprized of the natufe 
of the employment to which he was des¬ 
tined, and tlie faithful and resolute ex¬ 
ecution of which he is told will make 
his way to noble fortunes.” Unwilling 
to be troubled with scrupulous ohjec- 
tvnns, or unseasonable interrogatories, 
tlie offspring of hesitation and fear, Ed¬ 
mund exclaims, “ Thy great employment 
will not hear question ; either say thou’lt 
do’t, or thrive by other means ” And 
the officer, thus pjeciuded from farther 
conference, replies, “ I’ii d./t, mv lord.” 
In a case like this to talk of the authority 
of the commission is idle and frivolous. 
What could authorize the perpetration of 
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