imitating the passion in all its aspects, by pursuing it through all its windings and labyrinths, by moderating or accelerating its impetuosity according to the influence of other principles and of external events, and finally by combining it in a judicious manner with other paffions and propenfities, or by setting it aptly in oppofition. He thus unites the two essential powers of dramatic invention, that of forming characters; and that of imitating, in their natural expreffions, the passions and affections of which they are composed. It is, therefore, my intention to examine some of his remarkable characters, and to analyze their component parts: An exercise no less adapted to improve the heart, than to inform the understanding. It is obvious that my design by no means coincides with that of the ingenious author of the Effay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespeare, whose success in rescuing the fame of our poet from the attacks of partial criticifm, ticism, and in drawing the attention of the public to various excellences in his works which might otherwise have escaped the notice they deserve, gives her a just title to the reputation she has acquired. My intention is to make poetry subservient to philosophy, and to employ it in tracing the principles of human conduct. The design surely is laudable: Of the execution, I have no right to determine.

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T

HE human mind, in different fitu. ations and circumstances, undergoes many extraordinary changes, and affumes a variety of different aspects. Men of gaiety and chearfulness become reserved and unsocial: The beneficent temper, lofing its agreeable sweetness, becomes morofe: The indolent man leaves his retirement: The man of business becomes inactive: And men of gentle and kind affections acquire habits of cruelty and revenge. As these changes affect the temper, and

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not the faculties of the mind, they are produced by irregular and outrageous pafsions. In order, therefore, to explain any unusual alteration of temper or character, we must consider the nature of the ruling paffion, and observe its tendency.

In the character of Macbeth, we have an instance of a very extraordinary change. In the following passages we discover the complexion and bias of his mind in its natural and unperverted state.

Brave Macbeth, (well he deserves that name.)
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,
Which smok'd with bloody execution,

Like Valour's minion, carved out his passage.

The particular features of his character are more accurately delineated by Lady Macbeth.

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor;-and shalt be
What thou art promis'd-Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o'the milk of human kindness,
To catch the nearest way. Thou would'st be great;

Art not without ambition; but without
The illness should attend it.

He