AN

ESSAY

ON THE

WRITINGS AND GENIUS

OF

SHAKS PEAR E,

COMPARED WITH THE

GREEK AND FRENCH

Dramatic Poets.

WITH

SOME REMARKS

UPON THE MISREPRESENTATIONS OF

MONS. DE VOLTAIRE.

THE SIXTH EDITION, CORRECTED.

TO WHICH Are added,

Three Dialogues of the Dead.

BY MRS. MONTAGU.

LONDON:

Printed by Harding and Wright, St. John's-square,

for R. PRIESTLEY, 143, HIGH-HOLBORN; AND
R. LEA, GREEK-STREET, SOHO.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

On Dramatic Poetry.

On the Historical Drama.

The First Part of Henry IV.

The Second Part of Henry IV.

On the Præternatural Beings.

The Tragedy of Macbeth.

Upon the Cinna of Corneille.

Upon the Death of Julius Cæsar.

INTRODUCTION.

MR. POPE, in the preface to his edition of Shakspeare, sets out with declaring, that, of all English poets, this author offers the fullest and fairest subject for criticism. Animated by an opinion of such authority, some of the most learned and ingenious of our critics have made correct editions of his works, and enriched them with notes. The superiority of talents and learning, which I acknowledge in these editors, leaves me no room to entertain the vain presumption of attempting to correct any passages of this celebrated Author; but the whole, as corrected and elucidated by them, lies open to a thorough enquiry into the genius of our great English classic. Unprejudiced and candid judgment will be the surest basis of his fame. But he seems now in danger of incurring the fate of the heroes of the fabulous ages, on whom the vanity of their country, and the superstition