the "Poetaster," and the fine fragments of the "Sad Shepherd" and "Mortimer's Fall.”

But Jonson's fame rests principally upon his Comic powers. The great characteristic feature of his Comic genius is humour; an ingredient which seems to be entirely lost sight of in the composition of modern Comedies; the best, and most successful of which are remarkable only for wit. Brilliancy of dialogue, and smartness of repartee, excellent things as they are, are but poor substitutes for character, action, and human nature. In the composition of a perfect Comedy must be united wit and humour. Jonson had infinite humour, without much wit. Congreve, on the contrary, had wit in abundance, with very little, if any, humour. Sir Joseph Wittol and Captain Bluff may seem exceptions to this remark; but the former appears to me to be not humourous, but fantastic and unnatural; and the latter is a compound plagiarism from Bessus and the two Swordsmen of Beaumont and Fletcher. Congreve's most humourous Play is "Love for Love;" the most witty of Jonson's is, perhaps, Volpone, or, the Fox;" which is the most perfect of all his works. The next in merit are "Epicene, or, the Silent Woman," the " Alchemist," and " Every

Man in his Humour."

Jonson's style had few imitators, while that of his illustrious rival Shakspeare, formed the taste, and fixed the literary character, of his country. The best pupil of the Jonsonian School was Cartwright, of whom Jonson was very proud, and used to call him his son; and I give an extract from the "Royal Slave," to prove the truth of the old bard's assertion, " My Son Cartwright writes like a man:"

"If they are Gods, Pity's a banquet to them.

Whene'er the innocent and virtuous

Do escape death, then is their festival :

Nectar ne'er flows more largely than when blood's
Not spilt that should be saved. D'ye think the smoke

Of human entrails is a steam that can

Delight the Deities? Whoe'er did burn

The Temple to the honour of the Architect?

Or break the tablet in the Painter's praise?
'Tis Mercy is the sacrifice they like."

that, although much He has the reputation rough and unpolished

I have entered thus largely upon the merits of Jonson, because I know, talked of, he is little read. of being a humourous, but writer; exhibiting a rude strength in his Comic scenes, but without the feeling, elegance, or power, necessary for a Tragic, or Poetical Author. How true such opinions are, my quotations have suffi

ciently shewn; and for the number and length of those quotations, I need make no apology; for they are, indeed,

"No weak efforts of a modern pen,

But the strong touches of immortal Ben."

LECTURE THE FOURTH.

DRAMATIC POETRY CONTINUED.

Beaumont and Fletcher:-Massinger:-Ford :-Webster:Effects of the Civil War upon Dramatic Literature:Milton, Dryden, Otway, Lee, Rowe, and Young: Brilliancy and Licentiousness of the new School of Comedy:-Congreve, Farquhar, and Vanbrugh :-Jeremy Collier :-Sentimental Comedy :-Sir Richard Steele :Goldsmith:- Cumberland: -The German School:Sheridan:-Present State of the Drama.

My last Lecture attempted a Critical Review of the splendid Dramatic talents of Shakspeare, and Jonson; I now proceed to notice some of their gifted Contemporaries. Beaumont and Fletcher have given birth to many admirable scenes of wit and humour; and much lofty, eloquent, and affecting Poetry. Their powers,-I speak of them jointly, for all the attempts to distinguish their productions have ended in nothing but vain conjecture, their powers were of a very high order; not, however, as some of their admirers assert, approachable to that of Shakspeare. They skimmed

the surface of life, and painted some of the lighter feelings and passions, with much ability: but they could not sound the depths of human nature like Shakspeare. When they venture into the higher regions of passion, they shew great fancy and elegance, but nothing more. The madness of the Gaoler's daughter, in that part of the " Two Noble Kinsmen," which is ascribed to Fletcher, is prettily managed; but compare it for a moment with Ophelia, or Lear,-the comparison with the latter has been challenged,—and how infinite is the disproportion: the first is not without the graces of Poetry, but the latter are compounded of the elements of human nature. There is, however, great beauty in the following passage from the " Queen of Corinth:"

"Wherefore sits

My Phoebe shadow'd in a sable cloud?

Those pearly drops which thou lett'st fall like beads,
Numbering on them thy vestal orisons,

Alas! are spent in vain; I love thee still.

In midst of all these showers thou sweetlier scent'st

Like a green meadow on an April day,

In which the Sun and west wind play together,
Striving to catch and drink the pearly drops."

Their use of imagery drawn from external na