Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, And from his mouth whose voice will draw no more: But let this same be presently perform'd, Even while men's minds are wild; lest more mischance, Fort. For he was likely, had he been put on, To have prov'd most royally; and, for his passage, Speak loudly for him. Take up the bodies:-Such a sight as this [A dead March. [Exeunt, bearing off the dead Bodies; after which, a Peal of Ordnance is shot off. If the dramas of Shakspeare were to be characterised, each by the particular excellence which distinguishes it from the rest, we must allow to the tragedy of Hamlet the praise of variety. The incidents are so numerous, that the argument of the play would make a long tale. The scenes are interchangeably diversified with merriment and solemnity: with merriment that includes judicious and instructive observations; and solemnity not strained by poetical violence above the natural sentiments of man. New characters appear from time to time in continual succession, exhibiting various forms of life, and particular modes of conversation. The pretended madness of Hamlet causes much mirth, the mournful distraction of Ophelia fills the heart with tenderness, and every personage produces the effect intended, from the apparition that, in the first act, chills the blood with horror, to the fop in the last, that exposes affectation to just contempt. The conduct is, perhaps, not wholly secure against objections. The action is, indeed, for the most part, in continual progression; but there are some scenes which neither forward nor retard it. Of the feigned madness of Hamlet there appears no adequate cause, for he does nothing which he might not have done with the reputation of sanity. He plays the madman most, when he treats Ophelia with so much rudeness, which seems to be useless and wanton cruelty. Hamlet is, through the whole piece, rather an instrument than an agent. After he has, by the stratagem of the play, convicted the king, he makes no attempt to punish him; and his death is at last effected by an incident which Hamlet had no part in producing. The catastrophe is not very happily produced; the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of neces sity, than a stroke of art. A scheme might easily be formed, to kill Hamlet with the dagger, and Laertes with the bowl. The poet is accused of having shown little regard to poetical justice, and may be charged with equal neglect of poetical probability. The apparition left the regions of the dead to little purpose: the revenge which he demands is not obtained, but by the death of him that was required to take it; and the gratification, which would arise from the destruction of an usurper and a murderer, is abated by the untimely death of Ophelia, the young, the beautiful, the harmless, and the pious. JOHNSON. C. Whittingham, Printer, Chiswick. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. Duke of Venice. Two other Senators. Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio. Cassio, his Lieutenant. Iago, his Ancient. Roderigo, a Venetian Gentleman. Montano, Othello's Predecessor in the Government of Cyprus. Clown, Servant to Othello. Herald. Desdemona, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello. Emilia, Wife to Iago. Bianca, a Courtezun, Mistress to Cassio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. SCENE, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, at a Seaport in Cyprus." SCENE 1. VENICE. A Street. Enter RODERIGO and IAGO. Rod. TUSH, never tell me, I take it much unkindly, That thou, Iago,-who hast had my purse, As if the strings were thine,-shouldst know of this. lago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me : If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me. [city, Rod. Thou told'st me, thou didst hold him in thy hate. My mediators; for certes, says he, |