portant for the whole play. For it is self-evident that such an energetic, violent and thoroughly unfeminine nature, with such passionateness and heat of temper, could not have had any affection for the cold, unmanly and effeminate King, or have remained faithful to him. Hence even though history has not expressly told us of it—however, if not mentioned by Holinshed (as Gervinus says) it is expressly stated in Grafton's (Hall's) Chronicle the poet at all events could not be silent on a subject, which, as a matter of consistency, was demanded by history. Moreover, this terrible energy and enormity, this shameless display of evil, such as is here exhibited in a woman, is no doubt more dramatic, nay the very representation of it is more moral than the secret sin which creeps along in darkness, and the unexpressed suspicion of which must be entertained by the spectators. In fact, the poet required an embodiment of the prevailing vices and crimes, a character in which was concentrated the whole demoralization of the age, in order to give a description of the times, and to unfold the meaning and significance of his drama in the fullest manner. ULRICI, Shakspere's Dramatic Art. Margaret of Anjou was the complement of Henry VI. Had she possessed his sweet sincerity and humble piety she would have been a model queen; had he possessed her virile and resolute courage he would have been a model king. As it was, Margaret of Anjou supplied the place of a man at the head of the house of Lancaster; and to her alone was due the prolonged struggle between the white rose and the red. When a victory for Henry's army is spoken of, it is always Margaret who is in the field; and it is Margaret who again and again, in spite of Warwick at first, and afterward in alliance with him, lifts Henry from a state of humiliation in which he meekly and contentedly rests, to an uncertain triumph, for which he does not care.-WARNER, English History in Shakespeare's Plays. SUMMARY The subject of the second part of Henry VI is the progress of disorder in the country consequent on the weak character of the king, his want of every spark of kingly, national or even manly spirit. Of a devout tendency, his religious feelings have not the energy to rise from a pious ejaculation to a fervent prayer, still less to stimulate a really conscientious action. Selfishly and imprudently he married Margaret to gratify a passion foolishly adopted at second hand, and makes no effort to control a wife whose vague animosities hurry him to destruction; he deserts Gloster in base cravenheartedness, and when he is murdered almost under his eyes, banishes the murderer Suffolk only when compelled by the indignant outbreak of the commons, and then from no higher motive than apprehension of consequences to himself. Afterwards he is as ready to purchase his own tranquillity by the sacrifice of the rights of his son; and thus on the strength of harmlessness and freedom from active vice, he brings the country into civil war, and takes rank as a saint. The character of Gloster is finely contrasted with that of the king: he has a reputation for goodness-the good Duke Humphrey, as the king for saintship; and his goodness, though of more genuine quality, is at the last as nugatory from like defect of energy. He laments the base forfeiture of national honor, that never gives the king concern, yet does nothing worthy of his position to save it, is utterly incapable of coping with the ill-conditioned Cardinal, and descends to a useless and degrading brawl, and is at last his victim, and is as unable to rule, or guide, or protect his wife, as Henry himself. Such a pretence of government is entirely out of harmony with the genius of the country both in commonalty and nobility, and both classes become agitated sympathetically. The men of Kent are represented as rising in disgust and contempt for the ordinance of a bookish priestlike king and coun sellors, who acquiesce in the loss of conquests of a bolder monarch; and a powerful confederacy of nobles lends aid to the claimant of the throne by the elder line, who certainly possesses many qualities that are more worthy of power, though as usual in history they can only command power through violence and fraud, that bring on a Nemesis behind them. The crown that came to the line of Lancaster, through the dissolute misgovernment of Richard II falls from it again through the misgovernment of the factitious piety of an enervate devotee.-LLOYD, Critical Essays. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ KING HENRY the Sixth HUMPHREY, Duke of Gloucester [Gloster], his uncle EDWARD and RICHARD, his sons DUKE OF SOMERSET DUKE OF SUFFOLK DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM LORD CLIFFORD Young CLIFFORD, his son EARL OF SALISBURY EARL OF WARWICK LORD SCALES LORD SAY SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM STAFFORD, his brother SIR JOHN STANLEY VAUX MATTHEW GOFFE A Sea-captain, Master, and Master's-Mate, and WALTER WHITMORE Two Gentlemen, prisoners with Suffolk JOHN HUME and JOHN SOUTHWELL, priests BOLINGBROKE, a conjurer THOMAS HORNER, an armorer. PETER, his man Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of Saint Alban's SIMPCOX, an impostor ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish gentleman JACK CADE, a rebel GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK the butcher, SMITH the weaver, MICHAEL, &c., followers of Cade Two Murderers MARGARET, Queen to King Henry Wife to Simpcox Lords, Ladies, and Attendants, Petitioners, Aldermen, a Herald, a Beadle, Sheriff, and Officers, Citizens, 'Prentices, Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, &c. A Spirit SCENE: England |