CONSISTING OF CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS ON SEVERAL PLAYS OF SHAKSPEARE: WITH A REVIEW OF HIS PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS, AS REPRESENTED By MR. GARRI C K, AND OTHER CELEBRATED COMEDIANS. WITH ANECDOTES OF DRAMATIC POETS, ACTORS, &C. AUTHOR OF MEMOIRS of the LIFE of DAVID GARRICK, Esq IN THREE VOLUME SS VOL. I. Μισω πλετον ανών, κολακων τροφον, છંદ πας ούουν DUBLIN: PRINTED FOR S. PRICE, H. WHITESTONE, P. BYRNE, R. BURTON, M,DCC,LIXXIV. PER ERMIT me to intreat your patronage for the Dramatic Mifcellanies; in which the characters of Shakspeare, and other celebrated authors, are confidered and reviewed. The portraits of our old monarchs, drawn by the great father of the English stage, merit the attention of the heir apparent to the crown of Great-Britain; the pencil of the divine poet has thrown a light on their characters, far fuperior to the compofition of the most elaborate narratives. What the hiftorian coldly relates, Shakspeare, by the glow of genius, animates and realizes. A 2 The The calamities, which befel certain princesof the Plantagenet line, as represented in the fcenes of this admired writer, were principally owing to their contempt of those laws, which they had folemnly engaged to maintain. The oppreffion of the people creat ed rebellion to the prince, and brought ruin to the kingdom. Thefe, fir, are historical facts, painted in the moft lively colours by the skill of the great dramatift, which will ever claim the ferious regard of monarch. and fubject in this free country. The illuftrious houfe of Hanover was called to the throne of these realms, by the voice of the people, to fupport that. fabric of government, by which the limits of crown and the claims of the fubject were the unalterable fixed and established at the Revolution. From that happy period, the fovereign of England acquired the moft glorious of all titles, A KING OF FREEMEN! The many amiable qualities of your Royal Highness, which endear you to a great and generous nation, will invariably ftimulate you to emulate the virtues of your anceftors, to ftand forth the friend of liberty, and the advocate of thofe rights, the enjoyment of which can alone bring fecurity to the prince and happiness to the people! When it shall please Divine Providence, at a diftant period, to call your Royal Highness to the throne of thefe kingdoms, that |