nition with mildness: and assures her, in a pathetic manner, that affection, and zeal for her welfare, are his only motives.

Mother, for love of grace,

Lay not that flattering unction to your soul,
That not your trespass, but my madness, speaks:
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place;
Whilst rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen.
Confess yourself to heaven;
Repent what's past; avoid what is to come:

And do not spread the compost on the weeds

To make them ranker. Forgive me this my virtue :
For, in the fatness of these pursy times,
Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg,

Yea, curb and wooe, for leave to do him good.

Q. Oh Hamlet! thou hast cleft my heart in twain.

Ham. O, throw away the worser part of it,

And live the purer with the other half.
Good-night; but go not to mine uncle's bed;
Assume a virtue, if you have it not.
That monster custom, who all sense doth cat
Of habits evil, is angel yet in this;
That to the use of actions fair and good
He likewise gives a frock, or livery,
That aptly is put on. Refrain to-night;

And that shall lend a kind of easiness

To the next abstinence: the next, more easy;
For use can almost change the stamp of nature,
And either curb the devil, or throw him out
With wondrous potency.

As the contrition of Gertrude, and her consequent good intentions, were the effect of a sudden emotion, its violence no sooner abates, than her former habits resume their influence. She appears irresolute; and Hamlet, full of astonishment and indignation, expresses himself with keenness. He inveighs with acrimony against his uncle: and the Queen, vanquished by his invectives, assures him of her repentance,

On reviewing the analysis now given, a sense of virtue, if I may use the language of an eminent philosopher, without professing myself of his sect, seems to be the ruling principle in the character of Hamlet. In other men, it may appear with the ensigns of high authority in Hamlet, it possesses absolute power. United with amiable affections, with every graceful accomplishment, and every agreeable quality, it embellishes and exalts them. It rivets his attachments to his friends, when he finds them deserving; it is a source of sorrow, if they appear corrupted. It even sharpens his penetration; and, if unexpectedly he discerns turpitude or impropricty in any character, it

inclines him to think more deeply of their transgression, than if his sentiments were less refined. It thus induces him to scrutinize their conduct, and may lead him to the discovery of more enormous guilt. As it excites uncommon pain and abhorrence on the appearance of perfidious and inhuman actions, it provokes and stimulates his resentment: yet, attentive to justice, and concerned in the interests of human nature, it governs the impetuosity of that unruly passion. It disposes him to be cautious in admitting evidence to the prejudice of another: it renders him distrustful of his own judgment, during the ardour and the reign of passion; and directs him in the choice of associates, on whose fidelity and judgment he may depend. If, softened by a beneficent and gentle temper, he hesitates in the execution of any lawful enterprize, it reproves him and if there is any hope of restoring those that are fallen, and of renewing in them habits of virtue and of self-command, it renders him assiduous in his endeavours to serve them. Men of other dispositions would think of gratifying their friends by con

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tributing to their affluence, to their amusement, or external honour: but, the acquisitions that Hamlet values, and the happiness he would confer, are a conscience void of offence, the peace and the honour of virtue. Yet, with all this purity of moral sentiment, with eminent abilities, exceedingly cultivated and improved, with manners the most elegant and becoming, with the utmost rectitude of intention, and the most active zeal in the exercise of every duty, he is hated, persecuted, and destroyed. Nor is this so inconsistent with poetical justice as may at first sight be apprehended. The particular temand state of Hamlet's mind is connected with weaknesses that embarrass, or may be somewhat incompatible with bold and persevering projects. His amiable hesitations and reluctant scruples lead him at one time to indecision; and then betray him, by the self-condemning consciousness of such apparent imbecility, into acts of rash and inconsiderate violence. Meantime his adversaries, suffering no such internal conflict, persist with uniform, determined vigour, in the prosecution of unlawful schemes. Thus

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Hamlet, and persons of his constitution, contending with less virtuous opponents, can have little hope of success; and so the poet has not in the catastrophe been guilty of any departure from nature, or any infringement of poetical justice. We love, we almost revere the character of Hamlet; and grieve for his sufferings. But we must at the same time confess, that his weaknesses, amiable weaknesses! are the cause of his disappointments and early death. The instruction to be gathered from this delineation is, that persons formed like Hamlet, should retire, or keep aloof, from situations of difficulty and contention; or endeavour, if they are forced to contend, to brace their minds, and acquire such vigour and determination of spirit as shall arm them against malignity.