UPON THE D. E A TH O F JULIUS CESAR. TH HE tragedies of Cinna, and Julius Cæfar, are each of them the representation of a confpiracy; but it cannot be denied that our countryman has been by far more judicious in his choice of the story. An abortive scheme, in which fome people of obfcure fame were engaged, and even in whom as they are reprefented, the enterprize was pardoned, more from contempt of their abilities and power, than the clemency of the Emperor, makes a poor figure in contraft with that confpiracy, which, formed by the first characters in Rome, effected the deftruction of the greatest man, the world ever produced, and was fucceeded by the most memorable confequences. History furnishes various examples of men of base and treacherous natures, of diffolute manners, ruined fortunes, and loft reputations, uniting in horrid association to destroy their prince. Ambition often cuts itself a bloody way to greatnefs.-Exafperated mifery sometimes plunges its defperate dagger in the breast of the oppreffor. The Cabal of a Court, the Mutiny of a Camp, the wild Zeal of Fanatics, have too frequently produced events of that nature. But this confpiracy was formed of very different elements. It was the Genius of Rome, the Rights of her Conftitution, the Spirit of her Laws, that rose against the Ambition of Cæfar; they steeled the heart, and whetted the dagger of the mild, the virtuous, the gentle Brutus, to give the mortal wound, not to a Tyrant, who had faftened fetters on his fellow-citizens, but to the Conqueror, who had made almoft the whole world wear their chains and who was then preparing to fubdue the only Empire that remained unfubjected to them. Can there be a subject more worthy of the Tragic Mufe, than an action fo important in its consequences, and unparalleled in all its circumftances? How is our curiofity excited to discover what could engage the man of virtue in an enterprize of such a terrible kind; and why, after its accomplishment, instead of being stigmatized with the name of Confpirator and Affaffin, the decrees of an auguft Senate, and the voice of Rome, unite to place him one of the first on the roll of Patriots; and the Succeffor of the murdered Cæfar, who devoted to deftruction the moft illuftrious men of Rome, durft not offer violation to the Statue of Brutus ! To create in the English fpectator, the fame reverence for him, it is neceffary we fhould be made to imbibe thofe doctrines, and to adopt thofe opinions, by which he himself was actuated. We must be in the very Capitol of Rome; ftand at the base of Pompey's statue, furrounded by the ef Q4 figies figies of their patriots; we must be taught to adore the images of Junius Brutus, the Horatii, Decii, Fabii, and all who had offered dear and bloody facrifice to the liberty of their country, in order to fee this action. in the point of view in which it offered itfelf to the deliberation of Brutus, and in which it was beheld by thofe, who judged of it when done. To the very fcene, to the very time, therefore, does our Poet transport. us at Rome, we become Romans; we are affected by their manners; we are caught by their enthusiasm. But what a variety of imitations were there to be made by the Artift to effect this! and who but Shakefpear was capable of such a task? A Poet of ordinary genius would have endeavoured to interest us for Brutus, by the means of fome imagined fond mother, or fonder mistress. But can a few female tears wipe out the ftains of Affaffination? A base confpirator, a vile affaffin, like the wretched Cinna of Corneille, would Brutus have appeared to us, if the fame feeble arts only had been exerted for him. It is for the genuine |