Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/302

[ 286 ] of a youthful and lively imagination, the many cenes that it contains of almot continual rhyme, the poverty of the fale, and want of dicrimination among the higher peronages, dipoe me to believe that it was one of our author’s earliet attempts in comedy. It eems to have been written, while the ridiculous competitions, prevalent among the hitrionick tribe, were trongly impreSS undefineded by novelty on his mind. He would naturally copy thoe manners firt, with which he was firt acquainted. The ambition of a theatrical candidate for applaue he has happily ridiculed in Bottom the weaver. But among the more dignified perons of the drama we look in vain for any traits of character. The manners of Hippolita, the Amazon, are unditinguihed from thoe of other females. Theeus, the aSS undefinedociate 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 K. Henry VIII. he goes out a Maying. He meets the lovers in perplexity, and makes no effort to promote their happines; but when upernatural accidents have reconciled them, he joins their company, and concludes his day’s entertainment by uttering ome mierable puns at an interlude repreented by a troop of clowns. Over the fairy part of the drama he cannot be uppoed to have any influence. This part of the fable, indeed, (at leat as much of it as relates to the quarrels of Oberon and Titania) was not of our author’s invention .—Through the