OBSERVATIONS ON THE FABLE AND COMPOSITION OF HAMLET. THE original story on which this play is built, may be found in Saxo Grammaticus, the Danifh hiftorian. From thence Belleforest adopted it in his collection of novels, in feven volumes, which he began in 1564, and continued to publish through fucceeding years. From this work, The Hyftorie of Hamblett, quarto, bl. let. was tranflated. I have hitherto met with no earlier edition of the play, than one in the year 1604, though it must have been performed before that time, as I have feen a copy of Speght's edition of Chaucer, which formerly belonged to Dr Gabriel Harvey (the antagonist of Nafh), who, in his own hand writing, has fet down the play, as a performance with which he was well acquainted, in the year 1598. His words are thefe: "The younger fort take much delight in Shake"fpeare's Venus and Adonis; but his Lucrece, and "his tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke, have it "in them to please the wifer fort, 1598.' If the dramas of Shakespeare were to be characterifed, each by the particular excellence which distinguishes it from the reft, we must allow to the tragedy of Hamlet the praise of variety. The incidents are fo numerous, that the argument of the play would make a long tale. The scenes are interchangeably diverfified with merriment and folemnity; with merriment that includes judicious and inftructive observations; and folemnity, not ftrained by poetical violence above the natural fentiments of man. New characters appear from time to time in continual fucceffion, exhibiting various forms of life and particular modes of converfation. The pretended tended madness of Hamlet caufes much mirth, th mournful distraction of Ophelia fills the heart with ten derness, and every perfonage produces the effect in tended, from the apparition that in the firft act chills the blood with horror, to the fop in the last, that exposes affectation to just contemṛt. The conduct is perhaps not wholly secure against objections. The action is indeed for the most part in continual progreffion, but there are some scenes which neither forward nor retard it. Of the feigned madness of Hamlet there appears no adequate caufe, for he does nothing which he might not have done with the reputation of fanity. He plays the madman moft, when he treats Ophelia with so much rudenefs, which seems to be useless and wanton cruelty. Hamlet is, through the whole piece, rather an inftrument than an agent. After he has, by the ftratagem 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 neceffity, than a ftroke of art. A scheme might easily be formed to kill Hamlet with the dagger, and Laertes with the bowl. The poet is accufed of having fhewn little regard to poetical juftice, 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 deftruction of an ufurper and a murderer, is abated by the untimely death of Ophelia, the young, the beautiful, the harmless, and the pious. JOHNSON. MEN. CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark. HAMLET, Son to the former, and Nephew to the pre fent King. FORTINBRAS, Prince of Norway. GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and Mother to Ham let. OPHELIA, Daughter to Polonius. Lords, Ladies, Players, Grave-diggers, Sailors, Mejengers, and other Attendants. SCENE. Elfineur. HAMLE T. ACT I. SCENE I. Elfineur. A Platform before the Palace. FRANCISCO on his poft. Enter to him Bernardo. WHO's there? Bernardo. Fran. Nay, answer me: ftand, and unfold Ber. Long live the king! Fran. Bernardo ? Ber. He. [yourself. Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour. Ber. 'Tis now ftruck twelve; get thee to-bed, Francisco. Fran. For this relief, much thanks: 'tis bitter cold, And I am fick at heart. Ber. Have you had quiet guard? Fran. Not a mouse stirring. Ber. Well, good night. you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my watch, bid them make hafte. Enter HORATIO, and MARCELLUS. Fran. I think, I hear them.-Stand, ho! Who Hor. Friends to this ground. [is there? Mar. And liegemen to the Dane. Mar. Fran. Give you good night. A 2 |