of the period in which they lived, it is not to be wondered at that a similarity of thought and expression should be found in their writings. It will be observed, however, that it is only in the philosophical these parallelisms are discernible, for in that of the dramatic Shakespeare stands alone. Bacon bathed in the "pool of philosophy," Shakespeare in that of the drama.

PRAYERS ON THE STAGE.

HE Rev. James Plumptre, B. D., Fellow of

THE

Clare Hall, England, speaking of "Prayers on the Stage," in the Great St. Mary's Church, Cambridge, on Sunday, September 25, 1808, says:

"Another instance of the profaneness of the stage is in prayers addressed to false objects, or in prayers addressed to the true God in an improper manner. Writers and performers, with a view, perhaps, to avoid the seeming impiety of addressing the Deity in that, which was but a representation, a fiction, have run into the other impiety of offering a feigned prayer to a feigned object, and thus making light of that awful and necessary duty. Many, indeed, have doubted and denied the propriety of addressing Deity in representations, because they are not realities. But if a character be introduced, as an example for our imitation, in such circumstances as, were he in real life, trust in God and prayer to him would be a duty, provided it be done with reverence, it does not appear to be a mockery, and in vain, but a highly

useful lesson. Are we not too little accustomed, too much ashamed, to let ourselves be seen, or known to be on our knees before God in real life? We are commanded, indeed, not to pray in public, for the sake of being seen by men (Matt. vi. 5), for the motive ought to be to please God: but we are commanded to let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and GLORIFY OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.' (Matt. v. 16.)

Mrs. More, speaking upon the subject, says: "It is, perhaps, one of the most invincible objections to many tragedies, otherwise not very exceptionable, that the awful and tremendous name of the infinitely glorious God is shamefully and almost incessantly introduced in various scenes, both in the way of asseveration and of invocation.”

"The next charge which equally rests against almost all theatrical exhibitions, is the horrid profanation of THE SACRED NAME OF GOD. Whether our minds ought to be more disgusted at the light and frothy style in which the comedian sports with that SACRED NAME, or whether the like profaneness adopted in the solemn grimace of tragedy may not be still more offensive than the former, might be difficult to determine. For can anything be more shocking, than when the tragic actor at times can bend his knee in his mock devotions, as in the presence of the eternal God, in language apparently the most solemn, though on a subject perhaps the most insulting to the purity and holiness of the divine existence."-R. Hill's Warning, p. 16.

As an instance, we might quote a passage from "Hamlet," Act iii. Scene 3. Although we have seen it represented on the stage, it has of late years been discarded, and very justly, as it pictures a part of Hamlet's character contrary to the spirit of Christianity.

The scene is where the king is represented as stung with remorse on account of the discovery being made of his having murdered his brother, and his reflections thereon. Some of them are very good, and we refer the reader to the passage rather than quote them here. The king enters, and kneels, and continues for some time in that posture, praying, or rather endeavoring to pray silently; till, finding his soul too much distracted with a sense of his sin, he gives it up. During the scene Hamlet enters; and seeing him unguarded, would put him to death, but that he thinks killing him, whilst at his prayers, would be the means of sending him to heaven, and so his father would not be revenged.

Another instance of a character represented on the stage as praying, without the words being given, is in "Lady Jane Gray," in Act v. Scene 2. She is discovered kneeling, as at her devotion; a light and a book placed on a table before her. Lord Guilford Dudley and two female attendants enter; one of them says to him:

"Softly, my lord!.

For yet behold she kneels. Before the night
Had reach'd her middle space, she left her bed,
And with a pleasing, sober cheerfulness,

As for her funeral, array'd herself

In those sad, solemn weeds. Since then her knee
Has known that posture only, and her eye,
Or fix'd upon the sacred page before her,

Or lifted with her rising hopes to heav'n."

Macduff, after hearing of the murder of his wife. and children by Macbeth, says:

"Gentle heaven,

Cut short all intermission; front to front,
Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself;
Within my sword's length set him; if he 'scape,
Heaven forgive him too!"

This is perfectly justifiable; it is uttered under circumstances of grievous affliction, aggravation, and wrong. A learned writer of the stage speaking of this passage, says: "It is an unchristian wish, that Heaven may not forgive him; which, notwithstanding the injuries Macduff had sustained, is certainly an unchristian wish." Viewed perhaps calmly, and in the abstract, a serious writer might come to this conclusion, but for ourself we most seriously advocate its admission and toleration on the stage. An excellent writer, and able divine, speaking of this oath, remarks: "Even this is scarcely justified," and goes on to say, "I saw this play (Macbeth) acted at Covent Garden, in October, 1807, after some years' absence from all the theatres, during which time my ideas respecting plays had undergone very great changes. When the performer went down upon one