that latter edition, celebrated by twenty-five copies of commendatory verfes; amongst which, two, from the initials, and the general fatire on the fex, appear to be by Fletcher. In Overbury's Characters are fome of the manners of the times preferved, with very juft delineation; as the Courtier, the Affectate Traveller, &c. And the Wife-Man, the Old-Man, and others, are drawn with confiderable force of defcription. SHAKSPEAR E. TH HE works of Shakspeare have, for many years past, been fo much the fubject of research and ftudy to men of the first abilities; his poetical character has, in every part of it, been by them fo deeply explored, and fo fully illuftrated, and his beauties and allufions with so much taste and judgment pointed out; that it would be very difficult to make any just observation respecting him, that is not to be found among their collections and remarks. So large and valuable a body of criticism is this commentary now become, that perhaps there is no work, or series of works, that could fo far contribute to form and establish a tafte for antient English literature, as the notes that are at present fubjoined to his Plays. No No general description of Shakspeare's dramatic powers has yet appeared, more striking or illustrative, than that by Dr. Johnson, in his celebrated Preface: "His characters "are fo truly in nature, and his fcenes fuch"perfect pictures of real life, that from "them an hermit might estimate the man"ners of the world, or a confeffor predict "the progrefs of the paffions." His other remark, that " Perhaps not one "of Shakspeare's Plays, could it now be pro"duced as a new work, and of a contem porary writer, would be heard to the con"clufion," may be answered by Longinus: αι ὑπερμεγέθεις φυσεις ήκιςα καθαραι· εν δε τοις μεγέθεσιν, ώσπερ εν τοις αγαν πλότοις, είναι τι χρη και παρολιγωρέμενον. De Sublim. Sect. 33. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. ROM a furvey of the whole dramatic FR works of Beaumont and Fletcher, it would be difficult to draw any general conclusion, concerning their merit. So unequal arę their pieces, that they admit of every degree of estimation, from excellent to bad. Their fchemes are taken rather from tales, than hiftory; though it is not always easy to difcover the fources, that have fupplied them. Their plots are, in general, better than either their conduct of them, or their writing: many of their chief characters are individuals: yet, among fifty-four dramas, may be found partial excellences of all forts. What plays were written by these authors conjointly, or what by either feverally, it is now impoffible, beyond a very small number, to distinguish; but it cannot be fup pofed, pofed, that many were written by Beaumont, who died (in 1615) at the age of twenty-nine, when Fletcher was both born ten years before him, and survived him as long. Of all their dramas, the comedy of Rule a Wife and have a Wife is that, which has moft deeply, and moft defervedly fixed the public attention. Obferving, throughout these authors, particularly Fletcher, to whom folely this play is attributed, a continual difpofition to treat female errors with severity, it is not wonderful, that he could not refift the temptation of devoting a whole piece to the picture of a character of entire libertinifim. By the words, in the fecond act, re, ported by Eftifania, as from Perez, -he is an afs not worth acquaintance, That cannot mould a devil to obedience— the author feems to intend a contraft between the characters of Perez and Leon, as well in their inftitution, as their progress in the action of the drama; whereas Leon is, in truth, |