proper and graceful ornament: Would there be any impropriety then, in introducing in fame part of the work (either in the introductory, or a fupplemental part): Fancy Defigns, by eminent artists, to the memory of Shakespeare? One Design might be a Fancy Portrait of the bard, with a fen in his hand, feeming to have just conceived one of thofe fublime Ideas, to which (fay the Abbé Grofley) he owes his réputation.* The nature of the other Designs must be left to the imagination of each artist.

How pleasingly might an artist amuse himself, in painting Fancy Por traits of Shakespeare, (at whole length) as at the time of compofing or conceiving fome of those various and diverfified fcenes which have long delighted this nation.-Either at the fombre moment of his gloomy imagination diving into the mysteries of Witchery and Incantation in the cavern of the Weird Sifters, and there treading in that circle in which none durft walk but he.-Or when his breaft was inflamed with the rapidity of preparation for Bosworth-field, and he was writing (a noble wildness flashing from his eyes) thofe words, with which Mr. Garrick has fo oft electrified not only his attentive audience, but the very actors on the stage :---off with bis head! fo much for Buckingham.—When fired with young Harry Piercy---Or when indulging his fancy with fome of the most pleafing fictions that ever poet feigned of the light Fairies and the dapper Elves.--When compofing the Prologue to Henry V.---When ruminating on the murder of Duncan---or on those rising spectres which daunt the pale Macbeth.---On the awful magic of Profpero---Or when imagining fome of those irresistable appeals to the humane heart, which his own good mind dictated to him, and which none but his own genius could fo well exprefs. In Defigns fimilar to this last, his features should poffefs the mild animation of Zouft's metzotinto, with somewhat of that calm elevation

which

I am afraid the veneration of my good countrymen, does not extend quite fo far as the Abbé Grofley is willing to believe it does-“ I have seen (says the Abbé) the vulgar weep, at the fight of Shakespeare's beautiful and expreffive statue, which recalled to their memory thofe fcenes of that celebrated poet, which had filled their fouls with the most lively emotions."

OBSERVATIONS ON ENGLAND,

which is fo well expreffed in Mr. Romney's print of Mrs. Yates, in the Tragic Mufe. He should have all the magic of the mouth open, which we have seen fo well expreffed in fome Italian pictures; and Milton's dim light fhould be admitted into a chamber, somewhat resembling a Studious cloyfter pale. In the whole length of him at Stratford, Mr. Wilton has feated him on the very chair which tradition fays, belonged to him; has placed in the chamber fome of the old chronicles, of which he was a frequent perufer; has ftrewn on the table and floor, fome MSS. on which are written the names of fome of his plays; and has placed in the chamber an antique window of ftained glass. Might not a print from this picture be fomewhere introduced?

If he should be drawn as revolving in his mind, more turbulent fcenes, or when his active fpirit is borne away with the grandeur of his ideas: let not his figure be difgraced as we have lately feen it, (in a large print) but let fomewhat of that energy of conception be given him, and fomewhat of that noble air and peculiar grace, which we fee in the whole length portrait of Mrs. Stanhope in the rooms of Sir Joshua Reynolds. We are well affured that every mufe adorned his mind; and from what is handed down to us, (and the portrait which Mr. Walpole thinks an original, as well as the portrait by Zouft) we have some reasons to think that (like what is faid of Rafaelle) every grace adorned his body. Before an artist attempts to defign, it is proper he should first perufe fome few scenes from fome of the various plays-let him tranfport himself from Juliet's tomb, to the pleading of fabella; or from old Arden's inmoft fhade, to the diftribution of flowers by Ophelia. This will heighten his attachment to the Poet; and he will then be the better enabled to prefent to the public, what will ornament, rather than difgrace Shakespeare's memory.*

I will

Ar his name, Fancy's pulfe, wild in motion fhall beat,
Strange extacies rife, and the heart glow with heat.

PEARCE.

I will transcribe fome paffages from thofe authors who have honoured his genius; and from which paffages, Defigns might be taken; or at leaft, fome hints caught.

Methinks I view the laft fepulchral frame,
That bears infcrib'd her much lamented name:
See! to my view the drama's fons difplay'd;
What laurel'd phantoms crowd the awful fhade!
Firft of the choir immortal Shakespeare ftands,
Whose searching eye all Nature's scene commands:
Bright in his look celeftial spirit blooms,

And Genius o'er him waves his eagle plumes!

Hoole's Monody to the memory of Mrs. Woffington.

For lofty fenfe,

Creative fancy, and inspection keen

Through the deep windings of the human heart,

Is not wild Shakespeare thine and Nature's boast?

Thomson

THE great Shakespeare fat upon a Cliff, looking abroad through all Creation. His poffeffions were very near as extenfive as Homer's; but, in fome places, had not received fufficient culture. But even there fpontaneous Flowers fhot up, and in the unweeded garden, which grows to feed, you might cull Lavender, Myrtle, and Wild Thyme. Craggy rocks, hills, and dales, the woodland and open country, ftruck the eye with wild variety, and o'er our heads roll'd Thunder, deep and awful, and the Lightning's flash darted athwart the folemn scene; while on the blafted Heath, Witches, Elves, and Fairies, with their own Queen Mab, play'd in frolic gambols. Mean time the immortal Bard fat with his eyes in a fine frenzy rolling, and writers both in the Tragic and Comic ftile were gathered round him. Aristotle feemed to lament that Shakespeare had not studied his art of Poetry, and Longinus admired him to a degree of enthusiasm. Otway, Rowe, and Congreve had him constantly in their eye, and even Milton was looking for Flowers to tranfplant into his own Paradife. Gray's Inn Journal, vol. 1.

When our Magician more infpir'd,

By charms, and spells, and incantations fir'd,

Exerts his moft tremendous pow'r;

The thunder growls, the heavens low'r,

d

And

i

The other held a globe, which to his will
Obedient turn'd, and own'd the mafter's fkill:
Things of the nobleft kind his genius drew,
And look'd thro' Nature at a fingle view:

A loose he gave to his unbounded foul,

And taught new lands to rife, new feas to roll;

Call'd into being fcenes unknown before,

And paffing Nature's bounds, was fomething more.

What are the lays of artful Addifon,

Coldly correct to SHAKESPEARE's warblings wild?

Whom on the winding Avon's willow'd banks
Fair Fancy found, and bore the smiling babe
To a close cavern: (ftill the fhepherds fhew
The facred place, whence with religious awe
They hear, returning from the field at eve,
Strange whispering of fweet mufic through the air)
Here, as with honey gather'd from the rock,
She fed the little pratler, and with songs
Oft footh'd his wondering ears, with deep delight
On her foft lap he fat, and caught the sounds.

Churchill.