AN

ESSAY

ON THE

WRITINGS AND GENIUS

OF

SHAKESPEAR,

COMPARED WITH THE

GREEK AND FRENCH DRAMATIC POETS.

WITH

SOME REMARKS

Upon the MISREPRESENTATIONS of

Monf. de VOLTAIRE.
by Erigate

Mon

THE THIRD EDITION.

LONDON,

Printed by H. HUGHS, near Lincoln's-Inn-Fields;
For EDWARD and CHARLES DILLY, in the Poultry.

M. DCC.LXXII,

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

On Dramatic Poetry.

On the Historical Drama.

The First Part of Henry IV.

The Second Part of Henry IV.

On the Præternatural Beings.

The Tragedy of Macbeth.

Upon the Cinna of Corneille.

Upon the Death of Julius Cæfar.

Page 1.

P. 25.

P. 55.

P. 89.

P. III.

P. 133.

P. 173.

P. 207.

P. 245.

INTRODUCTION.

MR. Pope, in the preface to his edition

of Shakespear, sets out with declaring, that, of all English poets, this author offers. the fullest and faireft fubject for criticism. Animated by an opinion of fuch authority, some of the most learned and ingenious, of our critics have made correct editions of his works, and enriched them with notes. The fuperiority of talents and learning, which I acknowledge in these editors, leaves me no room to entertain the vain prefumption of attempting to correct any paffages of this celebrated Author; but the whole, as corrected and elucidated by Them, lies open to a thorough enquiry into the genius of our great English claffic. Unprejudiced and candid Judgment will be the fureft basis of his fame.

A

But