rical and romantic poetry; that the former rejects fiction from its composition, as the latter disclaims an alliance with truth. These positions he illustrates with great force and ingenuity of reasoning, and exemplifies by an appeal to the practice of the priucipal writers who have cultivated both species of composition. In the higher walks of the art, the epic as well as dramatic, he next investigates how far marvellous imagery may be blended with historical truth; ascertaining the proportion of each which is necessary to bring out the plenary effect of the piece. As a specimen of the justice of his decisions on these interesting questions, we subjoin his opinion on the most important of the points discussed, relative to the choice of a subject for epical poetry.

"That intervening point in the history of any people between the suppression of fabulous narration, and the establishment of authentick record, when the mind is suspended between reason and credulity, seems to be the most promising period from which a poet is likely to be furnished with such a subject. As this is a period which must be necessarily semi-barbarous, it is not only freed from the restraint of that affectation and refinement in manners which are so incompatible with the general nature of the higher poetry, but it seems most calculated to produce those important and daring exploits, which are best adapted to a species of composition professedly heroical. And as the character of such a period is that of being credulous, it must receive from this circumstance such a tincture of superstition, as will give it a connexion with those supernatural agents, and that marvellous imagery, which add so much to our delight, by blending with that emotion a mixture of admiration. In the consideration of the antiquity of such a subject is included all that sacred awe which the mind feels in recurring to times that are past, all that solemn delight which it experiences in contemplating the venerable interest that surrounds and rests over human grandeur in its decline.” P. 77.

Among the subjects thus ably handled in the section before us we distinguish the defence of Lucan's "Pharsalia" from the censure of Tasso and Voltaire, p. 43; the solution of the question agitated by Tasso, on the propriety of founding an epic poem on a fictitious story, p. 65; and the new and ingenious investigation of the causes which render pity and terror the proper end of dramatic compositions of the higher kind, p. 105.

In Section II. the author considers the licences indulged to the poet in the use and management of "marvellous incidents.' In the four chapters into which it is divided he examines the propriety of employing preternatural agents and marvellous machinery in the different species of composition into which he divides the epic and dramatic poetry. This licence he fully con

firms to the romantic poet, but wholly denies to the historical; supporting his decisions, as usual, by arguments drawn from the constitution of poetry, and illustrating them by examples selected from the most admired works. In the pure epos, he decides on the necessity of employing the celestial interference to forward the main incidents of the poem; determining the peculiar agents whose ministration should be resorted to, and the times and manner in which they should be employed. Various subjects of interest and importance arise in the course of this investigation, which are discussed with the author's usual ability and success. We commend particularly to notice the investigation of the proper end of romantic poetry, which Mr. Vigors pronounces to be the production of surprise and admiration, p. 127, &c. To this striking and original inquiry we may add the author's vindication of the marvellous imagery of Tasso's " Gerusalemme Liberata," and Shakspeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream," pp. 179. 219. together with the exemplification of his rules on dramatic machinery, drawn from the tragedy of " Macbeth." P. 232. From a critical analysis of the train of incidents in this drama Mr. V. has undertaken to prove, and, we are of opinion, has completely established, that while the supernatural agency employed in this drama,

Imparts more intrigue to the plot and greater interest to the story, the natural train of the incidents, as consisting of events arising out of each other by means probable or necessary, is not disturbed or impeded.""The witches," he clearly demonstrates, perform nothing themselves, they advise nothing to be undertaken, and afford no aid in any thing that is purposed, which at all contributes to advance or retard the action. The magical rites which they employ, and the obscure prophecies which they utter, have no direct tendency of this kind.” P. 235.

Section III. is devoted to the consideration of the " arrangement or economy" of poetical composition. In the four chapters which compose this section, the author investigates and explains, in order, the peculiar species of plan which is adapted to the poetical and historical epos, and to the drama and romantic epos. The pure epic poetry he leaves standing upon the commanding ground which has been pre-occupied by Aristotle; but justifies the great critic's principles by a variety of arguments and illustrations which are wholly his own. To the historical poet he confirms the right of following the natural order of the events in his story; and emancipates the dramatic poet from the necessity of observing the unities of time and place. His illustration of the plan of the romantic epos, and defence of Ariosto's economy, merit particular consideration, as being not less ingenious

than

than new. The subject of investigation which may be distinguished in the present section, as claiming our attention, are, the elaborate vindication of the unity of "the Iliad," p. 265; and the ingenious illustration and defence of the plan of " the Pharsalia," p. 291. The wildness and irregularity of Ariosto seem to have hitherto baffled all art and ingenuity to reduce his plan to order, or account for it on principle. The multiplicity of the action, which comprises the achievements not only "of many heroes, but of many heroines," the variety and abruptness of the transitions, by which he shifts and interchanges his subject, through remote regions and unexpected events; the extensiveness and intricacy of the story, which embraces many subjects and episodes, are apparently at variance with all order and rule. Yet through this labyrinth of perplexity the ingenious author furnishes us with a clue, and guides us to an elevation from whence the mystery of its involution is directly revealed. Having shewn, from an examination of the materials which enter into the composition of romantic poetry, compared with the peculiar end which that poetry is intended to excite, that an episodical plan, as best calculated to excite our surprise and admiration, is best adapted to secure that end; he thence unfolds the peculiar artifice of Ariosto's fable, which he finally verifies by that poet's authority, and exemplifies from his work. Beheld from the commanding point of view which Mr. Vigors occupies, this vast and unmanageable subject is now easily taken in:

"The subject of this poem, independent of its being tripartite, embraces a number of subordinate episodes, and admits a variety of principal characters. The great action of the work which gives the name and qualities of an epick fable to the composition, is the invasion of France by the Moors, and their subsequent expulsion from the dominions of Charlemagne. Independent of this main action it includes the phrensy of Orlando, and the loves of Ruggiero and Bradamante; the former of which imparts a title, as the latter marks out the extent of the subject. Each of those principal parts, into which the subject is thus distributed, contributes its proportion of that effect which promotes the general end of the production as marvellous. Every scene in which the action is laid forms some compartment in the region of fanciful wonders. We find ourselves transported through all, as it were by enchantment, and in passing through all, find an unabated exercise for our surprise and admiration." P. 333.

Proposing the example of Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso" as a perfect model of the romantic epos, Mr. Vigors reduces the artifice of his plan to three principles, which he terms the prominency and the contexture of the action, and the unity of place. From the first he evinces that Ariosto has secured to his subject the effect

of

of an action which is one and entire, by keeping only one part of his triple action predominant at a time, introducing the other parts as episodes, and in a subordinate form. From thé second he shews, that the poet has attained the effect of a subject which is undivided and whole, by introducing each part in a subordinate and episodical form, previously to giving it a predominance, and making it the main action of the poem. By a happy application of the third, be demonstrates that Ariosto has chosen certain places as rallying points," to which he successively conducts his heroes; and has thus fixed a centre to which our interest is attracted, and from whence the whole order of the system is again beheld to circulate, when the poet commands it to move. A plan thus artificial in the structure, yet apposite in the design, the ingenious author clearly identifies in the "Orlando" of Ariosto; and establishes his various positions by the conduct of the poem, confirmed by the express admission of the poet himself.

Section IV. is dedicated to the consideration of "the manners and characters" of poetry. In the course of this part of the work, the author investigates the licences which may be taken with ethical propriety, in the delineation of nature, and descrip. tion of the agents introduced into the poem. This section admits of no subdivision; the different compositions, into which poetry is divided, requiring no diversity in the characters, they are consequently not made the subject of separate investigation in each. We are still afforded the opportunity of discharging the same grateful part of commendation, as in the preceding inquiry. In the course of this section the famous position of Corneille and Metastasio, on the necessity of moral excellence to the perfection of poetical characters, is examined and refuted, in an analysis of the subject of Corneille's "Polyeucte," p. 363. A solution is likewise given to that poetical paradox, the character of Edipus; which is observed, with all its moral imperfection, to move our pity and excite our terror, p. 374. But we distinguish, with peculiar approbation, the analysis and defence of the character of Hamlet, p. 377. Were we to select from the various matter of the ingenious volume before us the most favourable specimen of the author's critical talents, on this part of "the Inquiry" our choice would decidedly rest. Other parts of the investigation may be perhaps as ingenious; but none, incontestably, is equally ingenious and true. On this the author has put forth all his powers. In managing the subject, he exhibits a delicacy of feeling and profoundness of thinking, which are rarely united in the same mind. The character of Hamlet has found a formidable opponent in Dr. Johnson, who, from misconceiving the views and objects of the extraordinary author by whom it was delineated, has magnified the imaginary blemishes

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by

by which it is tarnished, so as to cast a shade over the beautres of the drama. If we grant this objector's principles, we shall find it difficult to resist his conclusions. But the cause of nature, and of Shakspeare, finds a successful advocate in Mr. Vigors. By penetrating into the very purposes of the poet's mind, he has discovered the secret of that magic by which our interest is enchained in witnessing this extraordinary display of his art. The spell by which our senses were bound up being dissolved, the vision dissipates, and the whole secret of the enchantment is revealed. It is the critic's object to prove Hamlet involved in a state of deep and settled melancholy; that state of estrangementand depression into which those minds which are cast in a finer mould are frequently thrown, when their frame is shaken by some unnatural and disastrous event. The poet, he contends, in delineating this character, has undertaken to depict the human mind in that state of keen and anguished sensibility, which trembles on the verge of unconscious incoherent insanity. He thus exhibits it in that state of estrangement, which proceeds less from the disorder of the organic system than the derangement of the surrounding objects, by which it is overwhelmed and pressed down; that state in which the intellectual lamp burus vividly, but is oppressed by the thickness of the vapour in which it is involved. Every symptom of this mental disorder the critic traces in the delineation of Shakspeare, and confirms by an appeal to the authority of Burton, the anatomist of melancholy. From this just appreciation of the poet's object, he deduces the justification of the character, and perfect defence of the play.

"Every symptom," says Mr. V. " of this unfortunate malady has been shewn to hold a place in his mind; and many, if not all, of the predominant traits in his character could not be accounted for, unless in the supposition of a partial mental estrangement. The portraiture indeed which the poet has exhibited of the melancholy mind, that "sea of troubles," appears to me in every respect perfect: perfect in all its shades and in all its diversities; whether he meant to display it with the calm surface, and dark and settled gloom of despondence; or to arouse it into the wild tumults, and frensied turbulence of agitation." P. 401.

To the common objections to some incidents in this interesting drama he offers the following reply:

"Two of the most general and most formidable objections to the character of Hamlet, are his sudden murder of Polonius, and what has been termed his " useless and wanton cruelty" to Ophelia. The former of these circumstances has been accounted for above: it arises from his rashness of disposition suddenly urged into this errour by his mistaking the courtier for the king. With

respect