An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear: Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets; with Some Remarks Upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. de VoltaireThis historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1810. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... UPON THE DEATH or JULIUS CiESAR; THE Tragedies of Cinna, and Julius Caesar, are each of them the representation of a conspiracy ; but it cannot be denied that our countryman has been by far more judicious in his choice of the story. An abortive scheme, in which some people of obscure fame were engaged, and even in whom, as they are represented, the enterprise was pardoned, more from contempt of their abilities and power, than the clemency of the emperor, makes a poor figure in contrast with that conspiracy, which, formed by the first characters in Rome, effected the destruction of the greatest man the world ever produced, and was succeeded by the most memorable consequences. History furnishes various examples of men of base and treacherous natures, of dissolute manners, ruined fortunes, and lost reputations, uniting in horrid association to destroy their prince. Ambition Ambition often cuts itself a bloody way to greatness.--Exasperated misery sometimes plunges its desperate dagger in the breast of the oppressor. The cabal of a court, the mutiny of a camp, the wild zeal of fanatics, have too frequently produced events of that nature. But this conspiracy was formed of very different elements. It was the genius of Rome, the rights of her constitution, the spirit of her laws, that rose against the ambition of Caesar; they steeled the heart, and whetted the dagger of the mild, the virtuous, the gentle Brutus, to give the mortal wound, not to a tyrant, who had fastened fetters on his fellow-citizens, but to the conqueror, who had made almost the whole world wear their chains; and who was then preparing to subdue the only empire that remained unsubjected to them. Can there be a subject more worthy of the Tragic Muse, than an action so important in its consequences, an.... |
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Page 93
... foul of Hotspur bears out rebellion : it seems , in him , to flow from an uncontrollable energy of foul , born to give laws , too potent to receive them . In every scene he appears with the fame anima- tion ; he is always that Percy ...
... foul of Hotspur bears out rebellion : it seems , in him , to flow from an uncontrollable energy of foul , born to give laws , too potent to receive them . In every scene he appears with the fame anima- tion ; he is always that Percy ...
Page 118
... fouls , And they did fight with queasiness , constrain'd , As men drink potions , that their weapons only Seem'd on our fide , but for their spirits and fouls , This word , rebellion , it had froze them up , But now , the bishop Turns ...
... fouls , And they did fight with queasiness , constrain'd , As men drink potions , that their weapons only Seem'd on our fide , but for their spirits and fouls , This word , rebellion , it had froze them up , But now , the bishop Turns ...
Page 153
... foul , and midnight hags , What is't ye do ? is answered , A deed without a name . The witches of the forest are as im- portant in the tragedy of Macbeth , as the Eumenides in the drama of Æschylus ; but our poet is infinitely more ...
... foul , and midnight hags , What is't ye do ? is answered , A deed without a name . The witches of the forest are as im- portant in the tragedy of Macbeth , as the Eumenides in the drama of Æschylus ; but our poet is infinitely more ...
Contents
NTRODUCTION | 1 |
On Dramatic Poetry | 23 |
On the Hiſtorical Drama | 55 |
Copyright | |
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abſurd addreſs admired Æschylus allegory anſwer ANTONY ariſe aſſiſt aſſume Auguſtus baſe beſt blood Brutus Cæfar Caffius cauſe character Cinna circumſtances compoſitions conſpiracy conſpirators Corneille critic cuſtoms defire deſign diſpoſitions drama Edmond Malone Emilia Engliſh eſtabliſhed Euripides expoſe expreſſed fable falſe fame faſhion firſt French genius greatneſs heart heav'n hiſtorical honour imitation intereſt itſelf juſt king leſs Macbeth manners maſter mind moſt muſe muſt myſelf nature neceſſary obſerved occaſion paſſions perſon philoſophy piece play pleaſe pleaſure poet poetry preſent preſerved purpoſes racter raiſed reaſon remorſe repreſentation repreſented reſemblance reſpect riſe Roman ſame ſays ſcene ſecrets ſee ſeems ſenſe ſentiments ſet Shakespear ſhall ſhe ſhew ſhould ſituation ſome ſon ſpeak ſpear ſpecies ſpectator ſpeech ſpirit ſtage ſtate ſtill ſtory ſtrong ſtyle ſubjects ſublime ſuch ſuggeſted ſuperior ſuperſtitions ſuppoſed ſweet ſympathy Tacitus taſte thee theſe thoſe thou tion tragedy tranſlation univerſal uſe verſe Voltaire whoſe МАСВЕТн