"with a peacock's feather." The peacock's feather, not to mention the beauty of the object, completes the image. An accurate image cannot be formed of this fanciful operation, without conce ving a particular feather; and the mind is at fome lofs when this is not specified in the defcription. Again, "The rogues flighted me into the "river with as little remorse, as they would "have drown'd a bitch's blind puppies, fifteen "i' th' litter *." Old Lady. You would not be a queen? Anne. No, not for all the riches under heaven... Old Lady. 'Tis ftrange: a three-pence bow'd would hire me, old as I am, to queen it. Henry VIII. act 2, fc. 5. In the following paffage, the action, with all its material circumftances, is reprefented fo much to the life, that it could not be better conceived by a real fpectator; and it is this manner of description which contributes greatly to the fublimity of the paffage. He fpake; and to confirm his words, out-flew O you hard hearts! you cruel men of Rome! Merry Wives of Windfor, act 3. fc. 15. Have Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements, Julius Cæfar, að? 1. fc. 1. The Henriade of Voltaire errs greatly against the foregoing rule: every thing is touched in a fummary way, without ever defcending to the circumftances of an event. This manner is good in a general history, the purpofe of which is to record important tranfactions: but in a fable, which hath a very different aim, it is cold and uninteresting; because it is impracticable to form diftinct images of perfons or things reprefented in a manner fo fuperficial. It is obferved above, that every ufelefs circumftance ought to be fuppreffed. To deal in fuch cir cumftances, is a fault, on the one hand, not lefs to be avoided, than the concifenefs for which Voltaire is blamed, on the other. In the Eneid*, Barce, the nurfe of Sichæus, whom we never hear of be fore or after, is introduced for a purpose not more important than to call Anna to her fifter Dido. And that it might not be thought unjust in Dido, even in this trivial incident, to prefer her husband's nurfe before her own, the poet takes care to inform his reader, that Dido's nurfe was dead. To this I muft oppose a beautiful paffage in the fame book, where, after Dido's laft fpeech, the poet fuppofing her dead, haftens to deferibe the lamentation of her attendants: Dixerat: * Lib. 4. 1. 632. Dixerat: atque illam media inter talia ferro As an appendix to the foregoing rule, I add the following obfervation, That to raise a fudden and ftrong impreffion, fome fingle circumftance happily fele&ed, has more power than the moft laboured defcription. Macbeth, mentioning to his lady feme voices he heard while he was murdering the King, fays, There's one did laugh in's fleep, and one cry'd Murder! They wak'd each other; and I ftood and heard them; But they did fay their prayers, and address them Lady. There are two lodg'd together. Macbeth. One cry'd, God blefs us! and, Amen! As they had feen me with thefe hangman's hands. Lady. Confider it not fo deeply. Macbeth. But wherefore could not I pronounce, I had moft need of bleffing, and Amen Stuck in my throat. Lady. Thefe deeds must not be thought After thefe ways; fo it will make us mad. Macbeth. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth doth murder fleep, &c. Act 2. Sc.. 3. Defcribing Describing Prince Henry: I faw young Harry, with his beaver on, And witch the world with noble horsemanship. First Part Henry IV. act. 4. fc. 2. King Henry. Lord Cardinal, if thou think'ft on heaven's blifs. Hold up thy hand, make fignal of thy hope. Second Part of Henry VI. act. 3. fc. 10. The fame author, fpeaking ludicroufly of an army debilitated with difeafes, fays,. Half of them dare not shake the fnow from off their caflocks, left they shake themselves to pieces. To draw a character is the mafter-stroke of defcription. In this Tacitus excels: his figures are natural, diftinct, and complete; not a feature wanting or mifplaced. Shakespear however exceeds Tacitus in the fprightlinefs of his figures: fome characteristical circumftance is generally invented or laid hold of, which paints more to the life than many words. The following inftances will explain my meaning, and at the fame time prove my observation to be just. Why should a man, whose blood is warm within, Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice, Do Do cream and mantle like a standing pond; Again, Merchant of Venice, act 1. fc. I. Gratiano fpeaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice: his reasons are two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; you fhall feek all day ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the fearch. Ibid. In the following paffage a character is completed by a fingle stroke. Shallow. O the mad days that I have spent ; and to fee how many of mine old acquaintance are dead.. Silence. We fhall all follow, Coufin. Shallow. Certain, 'tis certain, very fure, very fure; Death (as the Pfalmift faith) is certain to all: all fhall die. How a good yoke of bullocks at Stamford fair? Slender. Truly, Coufin, I was not there. Shallow. Death is certain. Is old Double of your town living yet. Silence. Dead, Sir. Shallow. Dead! fee, fee; he drew a good bow: and dead? He shot a fine shoot. How a fcore of ewes now? Silence. Thereafter as they be. A fcore of good ewes may be worth ten pounds. Shallow. |