of their marriage, most like a wilful, haughty, angry
boy, but not like a profligate. On other points he is not so easily
defended; and Shakspeare, we see, has not defended, but corrected him.
The latter part of the play is more perplexing than pleasing. We do not,
indeed, repine with Dr. Johnson, that Bertram, after all his
misdemeanors, is "dismissed to happiness;" but, not withstanding the
clever defence that has been made for him, he has our pardon rather than
our sympathy; and for mine own part, I could find it easier to love
Bertram as Helena does, than to excuse him; her love for him is his best
excuse.

PERDITA.

In Viola and Perdita the distinguishing traits are the same--sentiment
and elegance; thus we associate them together, though nothing can be
more distinct to the fancy than the Doric grace of Perdita, compared to
the romantic sweetness of Viola. They are created out of the same
materials, and are equal to each other in the tenderness, delicacy, and
poetical beauty of the conception. They are both more imaginative than
passionate; but Perdita is the more imaginative of the two. She is the
union of the pastoral and romantic with the classical and poetical, as
if a dryad of the woods had turned shepherdess. The perfections with
which the poet has so lavishly endowed her, sit upon her with a certain
careless and picturesque grace, "as though they had fallen upon her
unawares." Thus Belphoebe, in the Fairy Queen, issues from the
flowering forest with hair and garments all besprinkled with the leaves
and blossoms they had entangled in their flight; and so arrayed by
chance and "heedless hap," takes all hearts with "stately presence and
with princely port,"--most like to Perdita!

The story of Florizel and Perdita is but an episode in the "Winter's
Tale;" and the character of Perdita is properly kept subordinate to that
of her mother, Hermione: yet the picture is perfectly finished in every
part;--Juliet herself is not more firmly and distinctly drawn. But the
coloring in Perdita is more silvery light and delicate; the pervading
sentiment more touched with the ideal; compared with Juliet, she is like
a Guido hung beside a Georgione, or one of Paesiello's airs heard after
one of Mozart's.

The qualities which impart to Perdita her distinct individuality, are
the beautiful combination of the pastoral with the elegant--of
simplicity with elevation--of spirit with sweetness. The exquisite
delicacy of the pic