sophy, which inspires the breast of every intelligent and virtuous man, "that possessing the treasures of ancient wisdom, and instructed by the experience of all past ages, it must be solely owing to an inattention to moral facts, that modern education has not been able to effect considerable improvement in the human character;" under the tuition, of a man like Prospero, we therefore find Miranda endowed by every quality, which excite our minds, with the most lively emotions for her wellbeing;-towards the close of this interesting scene, we still behold her agitated by the remembrance of the wreck, soliciting from her father, the reason for raising the storm, to which Prospero replies,

Know thus far forth,

By accident most strange, bountiful fortune,
Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies,

Brought to this shore: and by my prescience,

I find my zenith doth depend upon

A most auspicious star; whose influence,

If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes

Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions:
Thou art inclin'd to sleep; 'tis a good dullness,

And give it way. I know thou can'st not choose.

This sleep is brought upon Miranda, by the art of Prospero, in order, that he may hear from Ariel, how his commands have been disposed of. The spirit Ariel, in conformity to the belief of the superstition of Shakspere's time, belonged to the regions of the air; the spirits of which element, were considered less malignant and mischievous than those who took up their abode on the earth.

Ariel, therefore,in his character, is mild and gentle, and being for a period, enslaved to the will of the Enchanter, performs the commands of Prospero, with willingness and dexterity;-in this interview, Ariel gives a fearful description of the tempest; but relates the safety of all on board, in the following manner,

Not a hair perish'd—

On their sustaining garments, not a blemish,

But fresher than before, and, as thou bad'st me,
In troops I have dispers'd them 'bout the isle :
The king's son have I landed by himself;

Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs

In an odd angle of the isle.

After receiving the orders of Prospero, to appear shortly again to him, in the shape of a sea-nymph, Ariel departs, when Miranda at this moment awakes; and here we meet with Caliban, a creature in his nature, possessing all the rude elements of the savage, yet maintaining in his mind, a strong resistance to that tyranny, which held him in the thraldom of slavery: Caliban creates our pity, more than our detestation. This "rude uncouth monster," as he is generally termed by some of the commentators of Shakspere, it should be remembered, is seen only in this scene, free from the influence of those intoxicating wines, given him by Trinculo and Stephano; and, certainly, amidst the intemperance, in which he so freely indulges, we see awakened in him, all the worst passions of savage life. We learn, however, in this first introduction to Caliban, that the policy of Prospero,

led him to impart, to this unhappy slave a knowledge of language; but deeply impressed with the cruel usage he receives, Caliban remarks to Prospero

You taught me language—and my profit on't

Is, I know how to curse; the red-plague (5) rid you
For learning me your language!

Shakspere has drawn

a rebuke, which Prospero evidently seems, at a loss, how to answer. Caliban, rude as he is, with feelings of strong aversion to slavery, and it is with the view of destroying the bondage under which he labours, that urges him, in an after part of the play, to form the plot against the life of Prospero: refusing, however, at this interview, to obey the commands of Prospero, Caliban is threatened to be racked, with old cramps, and his bones to be filled with aches,

so as to make him roar,

That beasts shall tremble at his din―

The scene excites much interest, and, at all events, developes some very favorable marks, in the character of Caliban, who seems to feel keenly, the severe terms of reproach-as when he is addressing Prospero, when alluding to his more early residence in the island, he says

When thou came'st first,

Thou stroak'dst, and mad'st much of me, would'st give me

Water with berries in't; and teach me how

To name the bigger light, and how the less,

That burn by day and night: and then I lov'd thee,

And shew'd thee all the qualities o' the isle,

The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place, and fertile.

an artless and simple narration, which certainly indicates much kind feeling. Prospero, however, replies, that he used Caliban with human care, and lodged him in his cell,

Till he did seek, to violate

The honor of his child.

a circumstance, which though it renders Caliban guilty, can never justify the conduct of Prospero, in such harsh and cruel treatment, for, it ought to be kept in view, that this wild and untutored creature, was imprudently placed enough in the way, to enable him, to make the attempt complained of: the noble and generous character of Prospero, therefore suffers, by this severe conduct to Caliban, and I confess, I have never read, or witnessed this scene, without experiencing a degree of pity, for the poor, abject, and degraded slave.

The part of Caliban, has generally been exhibited on the stage, in a manner, so as to excite feelings, almost approaching to a painful and disagreeable kind; but it has remained for the excellence of Mr. G. Bennett, to delineate, the rude and uncultivated savage, in a style, which arouses our sympathies, in behalf of those, whose destiny, it has never been, to enjoy the advantages of civilization. Caliban, amidst the rudeness of his nature, and possessing an exterior, ugly and misshapen, will always, however, create attention;— stimulated to revenge, by the severity he suffers,

he has withal, qualities of a redeeming character. The study of the part, therefore, requires both energy and judgment;-the task is one of great difficulty, but Mr. Bennett, by his just conception of it, has arrived at the acme of his art, and no one, who has witnessed his performance, of this "creature of Shakspere's imagination," but must have acknowledged, the unrivalled talents, which have guided him to so much success. The arduous performance of Caliban, has secured to this excellent actor, the well-merited applause of many an enlightened audience;-the spontaneous tribute of praise, that affords a strong proof, of the truth of these observations-for by the judgment of an unprejudiced public, and not of false and selfinterested criticism, the merits of every performer should be ultimately decided.

Some of the characters drawn by Shakspere, were never altogether understood, till the excellence of the histrionic art developed them. Mr. Bennett has given a true picture of Caliban-Shylock, in the Merchant of Venice, was never comprehended correctly, till Macklin showed by his acting, that the deadly spirit of revenge, which actuated the Jew, was inconsistent with the style of comedy;-this great actor, was the first, who performed Shylock, as a tragic character, and which led the celebrated Pope, to exclaim, when witnessing the performance,

This is the Jew,

Which Shakspere drew.