Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches
In order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merit of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age, and the opinions of his contemporaries. A poet, who should now make the whole action of his tragedy depend upon enchantment, and produce the chief...
It is the common fate of erroneous positions, that they are betrayed by defence, and obscured by explanation; that their authors deviate from the main question into incidental d...
21. part I have censured without reserve, but, I am sure, without bitternessIt is no pleasure to me, in revising my volumes, to observe how much paper is wasted in confutation. Whoever considers the revolutions of learning, and the various questions of...
20. SCENE VIII.When Siward, the martial Earl of Northumberland, understood that his son, whom he had sent in service against the Scotchmen, was slain, he demanded whether his wound were in the...
22. Book i. Essay, page 10.Annuit ipsa Dolo, malumque (heu! longa dolendi Materies! et triste nefas!) vesana momordit, Tanti ignara mali. Mora nulla: solutus avernus Exspuit infandas acies; fractumque rem...
1. ACT I. SCENE I.In order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merit of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age, and the opinions of his contemporaries. A poet,...
13. SCENE VII.As this tragedy, like the rest of Shakespeare's, is, perhaps, overstocked with personages, it is not easy to assign a reason, why a nameless character should be introduced here,...
10. ACT III. SCENE II._Macbeth_.--Our fears in Banquo Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature Reigns that, which would be fear'd. 'Tis much he dares, And to that dauntless temper of his mind, He hat...
23. LETTER I.The plans which have been offered by different architects, of different reputation and abilities, for the construction of the bridge intended to be built at Blackfriars, are, by...
8. ACT II. SCENE II.--Now o'er one half the world (a)_Nature seems dead_, and wicked dreams abuse The curtain'd sleep; now witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecat's offerings: and wither'd murther, Alarum...
12. SCENE V._Lady Macbeth_. O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear: [_Aside to Macbeth_. This is the air-drawn dagger, which, you said, Led you to Duncan. Oh, these flaws an...
4. SCENE VThe incongruity of all the passages, in which the Thane of Cawdor is mentioned, is very remarkable; in the second scene the Thanes of Rosse and Angus bring the king an account o...
24. LETTER II.In questions of general concern, there is no law of government, or rule of decency, that forbids open examination and publick discussion. I shall, therefore, not betray, by a me...
7. SCENE VIII._Ban_. This guest of summer, The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, By his lov'd mansionry, that heaven's breath Smells wooingly here. No jutty frieze, Buttrice, nor coigne...
19. SCENE V._Macbeth_.--Wherefore was that cry? _Seyton_. The queen, my lord, is dead. _Macbeth_. She should (a)have, died hereafter: There would have been a time for such a _word_. To-morr...
9. SCENE IV._Len_. The night has been unruly; where we lay Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say, Lamentings heard i'th'air, strange screams of death, And prophesying with accents...
3. SCENE III._1 Witch_. A sailor's wife had chesnuts in her lap, And mouncht, and mouncht, and mouncht. Give me, quoth I. (a) Aroint thee, witch!--the rump-fed ronyon cries. Her husband's to...
2. ACT I. SCENE II._Quarrel_ was formerly used for _cause_, or for _the occasion of a quarrel_, and is to be found in that sense in Hollingshed's account of the story of Macbeth, who, upon the cre...
5. SCENE VI._Malcolm._--Nothing in his life Became him like the leaving it. He dy'd, As one that had been studied in his death, To throw away the dearest thing he _ow'd_, As 'twere a carele...
16. SCENE IV._Malcolm_. Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there Weep our sad bosoms empty. _Macduff_. Let us rather Hold fast the mortal sword; and, like good men, Bestride our _downf...
6. SCENE VII.--Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical ai...
15. SCENE III._Rosse_. My dearest cousin, I pray you, school yourself: But for your husband, He's noble, wise, judicious, and best knows The fits o'th'time, I dare not speak much further, But...
14. SCENE II._Macbeth_. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo; down! Thy crown does (a)sear mine eye-balls:--and thy (b)_hair_, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:-- A third is l...
17. ACT V. SCENE III._Macbeth_. Bring me no more reports, let them fly all, Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm? Was he not born of woman?-- --fly...
11. SCENE IV.Mr. Theobald has endeavoured unsuccessfully to amend this passage, in which nothing is faulty but the punctuation. The meaning of this abrupt dialogue is this: The _perfect spy_...
18. SCENE IV._Malcolm_. 'Tis his main hope: For where there is _advantage to be given_, Both more and less have given him the revolt; And none serve with him but constrained things, Whose he...