me clapt;
The iron wicket, that defends the vault,
Where the long race of Ptolemies is laid,
Burst open, and disclosed the mighty dead.
From out each monument, in order placed,
An armed ghost starts up: The boy-king last
Reared his inglorious head. A peal of groans
Then followed, and a lamentable voice
Cried,--"Egypt is no more!" My blood ran back,
My shaking knees against each other knocked;
On the cold pavement down I fell entranced,
And so, unfinished, left the horrid scene.

Having quoted so many passages of exquisite poetry, and having set
this play in no unequal opposition to that of Shakespeare, it is,
perhaps, unnecessary to mention by what other poets the same subject
has been treated. Daniel, Mary countess of Pembroke, May, and Sir
Charles Sedley, each produced a play on the fortunes of Anthony. Of
these pieces I have never read the three former, and will assuredly
never read the last a second time[3].

"All for Love," as the most laboured performance of our author,
received the full tribute of applause and popularity which had often
graced his less perfect and more hurried performances. Davies gives us
the following account of its first representation.

"In Dryden's "All for Love," Booth's dignified action and forcible
elocution, in the part of Antony, attracted the public to that heavy,
though, in many parts, well written play, six night's successively,
without the assistance of pantomime, or farce, which, at that time,
was esteemed something extraordinary.--But, indeed, he was well
supported by an Oldfield, in his Cleopatra, who, to a most harmonious
and powerful voice, and fine person, added grace and elegance of
gesture. When Booth and Oldfield met in the second act, their dignity
of deportment commanded the applause and approbation of the most
judicious critics. When Antony said to Cleopatra,

You promised me your silence, and you break it
Ere I have scarce begun,--

this check was so well understood by Oldfield, and answered with such
propriety of behaviour, that, in Shakespeare's phrase; her "bendings
were adornings."

"The elder Mills acted Ventidius with the true spirit of a rough and
generous old soldier. To render the play as acceptable to the public
as possible, Wilkes took the trifling part of Dolabella, nor did
Colley Cibber disdain to appear in Alexas. These parts would scarcely
be accepted now by third-rate actors. Still to add more weight to the
performan