$10.] 
modes of reasoning, &c.; protests, not- 
withstanding that the interests of the 
science are placed by it in the utmost 
danger; sneers at the profound prosodist 
who could put nine syllables into an 
octasyliabic foot, (an oversight not alto- 
gether unpardonable, I should hope ;) 
and, finally, in his last emblazoning para- 
gr apli, accuses me of talking discouraging 
nonsense, because I had intimated, that 
they who unfortunately have not the 
organs which nature requires for the pur- 
poses of speech, are not fit subjects for 
the master of elocution. Not fit, where 
there: is willingness to make the trial and 
perseverance? Mr. Thelwall denies it 
most positively, is authorised by expe- 
rience to deny it. B.H. Smarr. 
Princes-street, Leicester-square, 
Sept. 7th. 
—_—— a 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
On the CHARACTER of SIR JOHN 
FALSTAFF. 
LETTER III. 
S in the beautiful paintings of ob- 
jects in themselves ugly or con- 
temptible, such as are observable in the 
works of Murillo, Schalkens, Hewskerck, 
and the greater part’ of the Flemish 
school, the attention is forcibly drawn 
from the consideration of the minute 
parts and their deformity, and rests with 
pleasure on the natural colours, or striking 
proportions, of the whole; so, in @ full 
view ‘of the character of Falstaff, his 
vices seem completely in the back-groynd. 
There is a charm, which withholds the 
spectator from the contemplation of them. 
Still, however, they are of no inconside- 
rable magnitude; and it may well! be ob- 
jected, that. moral propriety, which can 
never be too much attended to in dra- 
matic composition, has been infringed 
seriously by giving inward turpitude | to 
so alluring a disguise. Besides his 
avarice, cr ruelty, and voluptuousness; he 
has the glaring faults of a liar, a drunk- 
ard,and a robber.* But, in palliation of 
* Ttis to be remembered that robbers, at 
. that time of day, were very differently re- 
ceived in society from what they are at pre- 
sent. It could ‘ot be otherwise, when the 
example began around tiie king’s person, by 
courtiers who pleaded in justification the 
scantiness of their allowance from their royal 
master. 
John calls it, of less public disgrace. Mat- 
thew Paris mentions two merchants of Bra- 
bant, in the time of Henry Uy. who com- 
plained of an open robbery in the middle of 
the day, and after much trouble the perpe- 
Montury Mac. No. 204. 
Shakespeare's Character of Sir John Falstaff. 
- tendom.” 
This. made it a ‘ vocation,’ as Sir - 
trators were discovered to be men o: 
e205 
_of all this, you must hear his message to 
Mrs. Ford: “ Bid her think what man 
is, Jet her consider his frailty, and then 
judge of my merit.” His remarkable 
cowardice is an essential part of his cha- 
racter, and obliges us to remove our 
atteution to the poet. It isa trite and 
indisputabie truth, that fortitude is the 
offspring of none but virtuous principles. 
This. feature of Ins character, therefore, 
while it iS closely natural, the poet obser- 
ved wéuld likewise prove an endless 
source of ridicule and amusement tu the 
audience. How ludicrous 1s it to see 
this egrevious jiar, who insists that “ man-~ 
hood, goed manhood, will be forgotten 
upon the earth, w Hen he dies,” standing 
‘at a respectful distance, while his fellows 
are vlundering the poor pilgrnns, 
exclaiming “Strike! Down with th em! 
Cut the villains’ throats !’* with all the 
energy of a biood-thirsty hero, Or who 
can refuse a smile, when he hears him 
request the Prince, in the camp at Shrews- 
bury, in this ignoble form of words: 
and 
“Wal, if thou see me down in the batile, 
and bestride me, so; ’tis a point of friend- 
ship?” Even his detestable cruelty is 
rendered laughable, where he observes 
of lis poor scare-crows, with whom he 
was ashamed to walk through Coventry, 
*T have led my rag-a- mutlins where they 
are’ pepperd: there’s not three of my 
hundred and fifty Jeft alive, and they 
are for” ‘the town’s-end ‘to beg during 
life.” 
Phus, all his faults and imper fections 
are so well depicted, and so effectually 
made the objects of derision, that we can 
searcely refrain from loving the company 
of the man who affordsus $0 much diversion 
at his own expense. For se find he has 
always so much grace left-as to be con- 
tinually pleading and proclaiming his 
purposes ef reform. Jn one place he 
says, “ Tmuet give over this life, and [ 
will “ve it over;” and adds, “I'll be 
damjed for never a king’s son in Chris- 
So he tells Bardolph he will 
repent, and that quickly, while he is in 
soine ‘diking,’ &c. and, in bislecter to the 
Prince, he gives him this advice, ~ Repent 
at idle times 
as thou may’st, and so 
farewell.” This is, indeéd, hetdane the 
mirror up to Nature, Those who have 
most reason to reform. their hab.ts, talk 
violently of their resuiuuens, and are 
rans at 
Yet even then ‘reso.ution was fob~ 
bed by the rusty curb of old cather Antic, 
court. 
tne laws for no less than thirty of then — 
were hange d. 
2G evey 
