Observations, and shall
avoid (as I have hitherto done) repeating any Thing which has been said
by others, at least as much as I possibly can: Nor do I think it
necessary to make an ostentatious Shew of Learning, or to draw quaint
Parallels between our Author and the great Tragic Writers of Antiquity;
for in Truth, this is very little to the Purpose in reviewing
_Shakespeare's_ Dramatic Works; since most Men are I believe convinced,
that he is very little indebted to any of them; and a remarkable
Influence of this is to be observed in his Tragedy of _Troilus_ and
_Cressida_, wherein it appears (as Mr. _Theobalds_ has evidently
demonstrated it,) that he has chosen an old _English_ Romance concerning
the _Trojan_ War, as a worthier Guide than even _Homer_ himself. Nature
was our great Poet's Mistress; her alone has he followed as his
Conductress; and therefore it has been with regard to her only, that I
have considered this Tragedy. It is not to be denied, but that
_Shakespeare's_ Dramatic Works are in general very much mix'd; his Gold
is strangely mingled with Dross in most of his Pieces. He fell too much
into the low Taste of the Age he liv'd in, which delighted in miserable
Puns, low Wit, and affected sententious Maxims; and what is most
unpardonable in him, he has interspersed his noblest Productions with
this Poorness of Thought. This I have shewn in my Remarks on this Play.
Yet, notwithstanding the Defects I have pointed out, it is, I think,
beyond Dispute, that there is much less of this in _Hamlet_ than in any
of his Plays; and that the Language in the Whole, is much more pure, and
much more free from Obscurity or Bombast, than any of our Author's
Tragedies; for sometimes _Shakespeare_ may be justly tax'd with that
Fault. And we may moreover take Notice, that the Conduct of this Piece
is far from being bad; it is superior in that respect (in my Opinion) to
many of those Performances in which the Rules are said to be exactly
kept to. The Subject, which is of the nicest Kind, is managed with great
Delicacy, much beyond that Piece wherein _Agamemnon's_ Death is revenged
by his Son _Orestes_, so much admired by all the Lovers of Antiquity;
for the Punishment of the Murderer alone by the Son of the murdered
Person, is sufficient; there is something too shocking in a Mother's
being put to Death by her Son, although she be never so guilty.
_Shakespeare's_ Management in this Particular, has been much admired by
one of our