nature we do not understand, whofe actions we cannot control, and whofe influence we know not how to escape. Here we feel through all the faculties of the foul, and to the utmost extent of her capacity. The dread of the interpofition of fuch agents is the most falutary of all fears. It keeps up in our minds a fenfe of our connection with awful and invifible spirits, to whom our most secret actions are apparent, and from whofe chastisement, Innocence alone can defend us. From many dangers Power will protect; many crimes may be concealed by Art and Hypocrify; but when fupernatural Beings arife, to reveal, and to avenge, Guilt blushes through her mafk, and trembles behind her bulwarks.

Shakespear has been fufficiently justified, by the best critics, for availing himself of the popular faith in witchcraft; and he ist certainly as defenfible in this point, as Euripides, and other Greek tragedians, for introducing Jupiter, Diana, Minerva, &c. whofe perfonal intervention, in the events exhibited

bited on their stage, had not obtained more credit, with the thinking and the philofophical part of the fpectators, than tales of Witchcraft among the Wife and Learned here. Much later than the age in which Macbeth lived, even in Shakespear's own time, there were fevere statutes extant against Witchcraft.

Some objections have been made to the Hecate of the Greeks being joined to the witches of our country.

Milton, a more correct writer, has often mixed the Pagan deities, even with the most facred characters of our religion. Our Witches power was fuppos'd to be exerted only in little and low mischief: this therefore being the only example where their interpofition is recorded, in the revolutions of a kingdom, the poet thought, perhaps, that the ftory would pafs off better, with the Learned at least, if he added the celebrated Hecate to the weird fifters; and she is introduced, chiding their prefumption, for trading in prophecies and affairs of death.

The

The dexterity is admirable, with which the predictions of the witches (as Macbeth observes) prove true to the Ear, but false to the Hope, according to the general condition of all vain oracles. And it is with great judgment the poet has given to Macbeth the very temper to be wrought upon by such fuggeftions. The bad man is his own Tempter. Richard III. had a heart that prompted him to do all, that the worst demon could have fuggefted, fo that the Witches would have been only an idle wonder in his story; nor did he want fuch a counsellor as Lady Macbeth: a ready inftrument like Buckingham, to adopt his projects, and execute his orders, was fufficient. But Macbeth of a generous difpofition, and good propenfities, but with vehement paffions and afpiring wishes, was a subject liable to be feduced by fplendid profpects, and ambitious counfels. This appears from the following character given of him by his wife:

Yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o'th milk of human kindness

To catch the neareft way. Thou wouldst be great;

Art not without ambition; but without

The

The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst

highly

That wouldst thou holily; wouldft not play false,
And yet wouldft wrongly win.

So much inherent Ambition in a character; without any other vice, and full of the milk of human kindnefs, though obnoxious to temptation, yet would have great struggles before it yielded, and as violent fits of fubsequent remorse.

If the mind is to be medicated by the operations of pity and terror, furely no means are fo well adapted to that end, as a ftrong and lively reprefentation of the agonizing struggles that precede, and the terrible horrors that follow wicked actions. Other poets thought they had fufficiently attended to the moral purpose of the drama; by making the Furies purfue the perpetrated crime. Our author waves their bloody daggers in the Road to guilt, and demonftrates, that fo foon as a man begins to hearkento ill suggestions, Terrors environ, M

and

and Fears diftract him. Tenderness and con- . jugal love combat in the breasts of a Medea and a Herod, in their purpofed vengeance. Personal affection often weeps on the theatre, while Jealoufy or Revenge whet the bloody knife but Macbeth's emotions are the ftruggles of Confcience; his agonies are the agonies of Remorfe. They are leffons of juftice, and warnings to innocence. I do not know that any dramatic writer, except Shakespear, has set forth the pangs of Guilt separate from the fear of Punishment. Clytemneftra is reprefented by Euripides, as under great terrors, on account of the murder of Agamemnon; but they arise from Fear of Punishment, not Repentance. It is not the memory of the affaffinated hufband, which haunts and terrifies her, but an apprehenfion of vengeance from his furviving fon: when she is told Oreftes is dead, her mind is again at eafe. It must be allowed, that on the Grecian stage, it is the office of the Chorus to moralize, and to point out, on every occafion, the advantages

of