look in vain for any traits of character. The manners of Hippolita, the Amazon, are undistinguished from thofe of other females. Thefeus, the affociate of Hercules, is not engaged in any adventure worthy of his rank or reputation, nor is he in reality an agent throughout the play. Like King Henry VIII. he goes out a Maying. He mects the lovers in perplexity, and makes no effort to promote their happiness; but when fupernatural accidents have reconciled them, he joins their company, and concludes his day's entertainment by uttering fome miferable puns at an interlude represented by a troop of clowns. Over the fairy part of the drama he cannot be fuppofed to have any influence. This part of the fable, indeed, (at leaft as much of it as relates to the quarrels of Oberon and Titania,) was not of our author's invention. 3 Through the whole piece, the more 3 The learned editor of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, printed in 1775, obferves in his introductory difcourfe, (Vol. IV. p. 161,) that Pluto and Proferpina in the Marchant's Tale appear to have been "the true progenitors of Shakfpeare's Oberon and Titania." In a tract already quoted, Greene's Groatsworth of Witte, 1592, a player is introduced, who boafts of having performed the part of the King of Fairies with applaufe. Greene himself wrote a play, entitled The Scottishe Hiftorie of James the Fourthe, flaine at Floddon, intermixed with a pleafant Comedie prefented by Oberon King of Fayeries; which was entered at Stationers' hall in 1594, and printed in 1598. Shakspeare, however, does. not appear to have been indebted to this piece. The plan of it is fhortly this. Bohan, a Scot, in confequence of being difgufted with the world, having retired to a tomb where he has fixed his dwelling, is met by After Oberon, king of the fairies, who entertains him with an antick or dance by his fubjects. Thefe two perfonages, after fome exalted characters are fubfervient to the interefts of those beneath them. We laugh with Bottom and his fellows, but is a fingle pallion agitated by the faint and childifh folicitudes of Hermia and Demetrius, of Helena and Lysander, those shadows of each other? That a drama, of which the principal perfonages are thus infignificant, and the fable thus meagre and uninterefting, was one of our author's earlieft compofitions, does not, therefore, feem a very improbable conjecture; nor are the beauties with which it is embellished, inconfiftent with this fuppofition; for the genius of Shakspeare, even in its minority could embroider the coarfeft materials with the brightest and most lafling colours. Oberon and Titania had been introduced in a dramatick entertainment exhibited before Queen Elizabeth in 1591, when fhe was at Elvetham. in Hampshire; as appears from A Defcription of the Queene's Entertainment in Progrefs at Lord Hartford's, &c. printed in 4to. in 1591. Her majefty, after having been pestered a whole afternoon with fpeeches in verse from the three Graces, Sylvanus, Wood Nymphs, &c. is at length addressed by the Fairy Queen, who prefents her majefty with a chaplet, "Given me by Auberon (Oberon) the fairic king." ་ A Midfummer Night's Dream was not entered at Stationers' hall till Oct. 8, 1600, in which year converfation, determine to liften to a tragedy, which is acted before them, and to which they make a kind of chorus, by moralizing at the end of each act. it was printed; but is mentioned by Meres in 1598. From the comedy of Doctor Dodipoll, Mr. Steevens has quoted a line, which the author feems to have borrowed from Shakspeare: 66 'Twas I that led you through the painted meads, Where the light fairies danc'd upon the flowers, So, in A Midfummer Night's Dream: "And hang a pearl in ev'ry cowflip's ear." Again: And that fame dew, which fometimes on the buds "Was wont to fwell, like round and orient pearls, Stood now within the pretty flourel's eyes, Like tears, &c. There is no earlier edition of the anonymous play in which the foregoing lines are found, than that in 1600; but Doctor Dodipowle is mentioned by Nafhe, in his preface to Gabriel' Harvey's Hunt is up, printed in 1596. The paffage in the fifth act, which has been thought to allude to the death of Spenser, is not inconfiftent with the early appearance of this comedy; for it might have been inferted between the time of that poet's death, and the year 1600, when the play was published. And indeed, if the allufion was intended, which I do not believe, the paffage must have been added in that interval; for A Midfummer Night's Dream was certainly 4 "The thrice three mufes, mourning for the death Of learning, late deceas'd in beggary." 66 written in, or before 1598, and Spenfer, we are told by Sir James Ware, (whofe teftimony with refpect to this controverted point must have great weight,) did not die till 1599: "others, (he adds,) have it wrongly, 1598. So careful a Preface to Spenfer's View of the State of Ireland. Dublin, fol. 1633. This treatife was written, according to Sir James Ware, in 1596. The teflimony of that hiftorian, relative to the time of Spenfer's death, is confirmed by a fact related by Ben Jonfon to Mr. Drummond of Hawthornden, and recorded by that writer. When Spenfer and his wife were forced in great diftrefs to fly from their house, which was burnt in the Irish Rebellion, the earl of Effex fent him twenty pieces; but he refufed them; telling the perfon that brought them, he was fure he had no time to fpend them. He died foon afterwards, according to Ben Jonfon's account, in King-freet. Lord Effex was not in Ireland in 1598, and was there from April to September in the following year. It fhould alfo be remembered that verfes by Spenfer are prefixed to Lewknor's Commonwealth and Government of Venice, published in 1599. That this celebrated poet was alive in Sept. 1598, is proved by the following paper, addreffed by Queen Elizabeth to the Lords Juftices of Ireland, which is preferved in the Museum, MSS. Harl. 286, and has not, I believe, been noticed by any of his biographers: 66 Laft. of Sept. 1598. "To the Lords Juftices of Ireland. Though we doubt not but you will without any motion from us have good regard for the appointing of meete and ferviceable perfons to be Sheriffs in the feveral counties, which is a matter of great importance, efpecially at this time, when all parts of the realme are tinged with the infection of rebellion, yet wee thinke it not amille fometime to recommend unto you fuch men as wee fhould (with) to have for that office. Among whom we may juftly reckon Edm. Spenfer, a gentleman dwelling in the county of Corke, who is fo well known unto you all for his good and commendable parts, (being a man endowed with good fearcher into antiquity, who lived fo near the time, is not likely to have been mistaken in a fact, concerning which he appears to have made particular inquiries. The paffage in queftion, however, in my apprehenfion, has been mifunderstood. It relates, I conceive, not to the death of Spenfer, but to the nine Mufes lamenting the decay of learning, in that author's poem entitled The Tears of the Mufes, which was published in 1591: and hence probably the words, "late deceas'd in beggary." This allufion, if I am right in my conjecture, may ferve to confirm the date affigned to A Midfummer Night's Dream. 5. COMEDY OF ERRORS, 1593. "The only note of time that occurs in this play is found in the following paffage: Ant. S. In what part of her body ftandsFrance?" 66 · Drom. S. In her forehead, arm'd and reverted, making war against the hair." knowledge in learning, and not unskilful or without experience in the fervice of the warres,) as we need not ufe many words in his behalf. And therefore as we are of opinion that you will favour him for himfelfe and of your own accord, fo we do pray you that this letter may increafe his credit fo far forth with you as that he may not fayle to be appointed Sheriffe of the county of Corke, unleffe there be to you knowne fome important cause to the contrary. 66 We are perfuaded he will fo behave himfelfe in this particular as you fhall have just caufe to allowe of our recommendation, and his good fervice. And fo," &c. |