like that of Hamlet, proceeds from excess of tenderness, from too much sensibility to the evils of the world, and the faults of mankind. His moralizing on the poor sequestered stag, is a most beautiful illustration of his tenderness, and of his nice perception and sorrow for the follies and vices of men ; -as his comparison of the world to a stage affords a highly finished picture of the estimation in which he holds human life.

In Timon of Athens,' we are presented with a character in many respects different from that of Hamlet or Jaques. Here we have misanthropy of a much darker hue. Soured with disappointment; fallen from the height of prosperity into the lowest state of adversity; deceived by flattering friends; forsaken by the buzzing attendants on wealth and greatness, Timon conceives disgust at the world and its enjoyments; and that disgust produces hatred and aversion at mankind. Yet even here it is observable, that with all Timon's misanthropy, there is a great mixture of original goodness and benevolence. At his first outset in life he was unsuspicious, and wished to contribute to the happiness of all around him. Being free himself, he thought all others so.' Disappointed in the opinion he had formed of the world, and shocked with the ingratitude he met with; brought low,' as he is said to be, by his own heart, undone by goodness,' he becomes a prey to deep gloom and misanthropy: but with all his misanthropy, he preserves a sense of honour and of right.

It is to be admitted, however, that as Timon's is a character much inferior to, and much less amiable than that of Hamlet or of Jaques, so his misanthropy is of a much blacker and more savage nature. Hamlet's misanthropy arises from a deep sense of the guilt of others;-Jaques's from a general impression

259 of the follies and weaknesses of the world;-Timon's is produced by a selfish sense of the ingratitude of others to himself. His disgust at the world,, therefore, is not mixed with the same gentleness and amiable tenderness which are displayed by the other two; and he possesses as much misanthropy of the blackest sort as it is possible for human nature to arrive at. Shakspeare indeed holds him forth as a person altogether bereft of reason. He seems to have thought, that such a degree of misanthropy as Timon is described to be possessed of, was inconsistent with the use of that faculty.

In the criticism on Hamlet which I before quoted, it is observed, that amidst all his melancholy and gloom, there is a great deal of gaiety and playfulness in his deportment. The remark is certainly just, and it may be extended to the other characters of Shakspeare above taken notice of. Notwithstanding the settled dejection of Jaques, he is described as possessing an uncommon degree of humour. He himself tells us, he is often wrapped in a most humorous sadness.'-The account which he gives of the motly fool he met with in the forest, and the description of the seven ages of human life, are lively instances of this strong feature in his cha

racter.

Even Timon, black as his melancholy appears, is not without an humour in his sadness. The joke put by him on his worthless friends, in inviting them to dinner when he had none to give them, the conversation between him and Apemanthus, and the last scene with the Poet and Painter, are sufficient confirmations of this remark.

The disposition in all these characters to a certain degree of jocularity and sportiveness, is far from being unnatural. On the contrary, I am disposed to

like that of Hamlet, proceeds from excess of tenderness, from too much sensibility to the evils of the world, and the faults of mankind. His moralizing on the poor sequestered stag, is a most beautiful illustration of his tenderness, and of his nice perception and sorrow for the follies and vices of men ;

as his comparison of the world to a stage affords a highly finished picture of the estimation in which he holds human life.

In Timon of Athens,' we are presented with a character in many respects different from that of Hamlet or Jaques. Here we have misanthropy of a much darker hue. Soured with disappointment; fallen from the height of prosperity into the lowest state of adversity; deceived by flattering friends; forsaken by the buzzing attendants on wealth and greatness, Timon conceives disgust at the world and its enjoyments; and that disgust produces hatred and aversion at mankind. Yet even here it is observable, that with all Timon's misanthropy, there is a great mixture of original goodness and benevolence. his first outset in life he was unsuspicious, and wished to contribute to the happiness of all around him. Being free himself, he thought all others so.' Disappointed in the opinion he had formed of the world, and shocked with the ingratitude he met with; brought low,' as he is said to be, by his own heart, undone by goodness,' he becomes a prey to deep gloom and misanthropy: but with all his misanthropy, he preserves a sense of honour and of right.

At

It is to be admitted, however, that as Timon's is a character much inferior to, and much less amiable than that of Hamlet or of Jaques, so his misanthropy is of a much blacker and more savage nature. Hamlet's misanthropy arises from a deep sense of the guilt of others;-Jaques's from a general impression

of the follies and weaknesses of the world;-Timon's is produced by a selfish sense of the ingratitude of others to himself. His disgust at the world,, therefore, is not mixed with the same gentleness and amiable tenderness which are displayed by the other two; and he possesses as much misanthropy of the blackest sort as it is possible for human nature to arrive at. Shakspeare indeed holds him forth as a person altogether bereft of reason. He seems to have thought, that such a degree of misanthropy as Timon is described to be possessed of, was inconsistent with the use of that faculty.

In the criticism on Hamlet which I before quoted, it is observed, that amidst all his melancholy and gloom, there is a great deal of gaiety and playfulness in his deportment. The remark is certainly just, and it may be extended to the other characters of Shakspeare above taken notice of. Notwithstanding the settled dejection of Jaques, he is described as possessing an uncommon degree of humour. He himself tells us, ' he is often wrapped in a most humorous sadness.'-The account which he gives of the motly fool he met with in the forest, and the description of the seven ages of human life, are lively instances of this strong feature in his cha

racter.

Even Timon, black as his melancholy appears, is not without an humour in his sadness. The joke put by him on his worthless friends, in inviting them to dinner when he had none to give them, the conversation between him and Apemanthus, and the last scene with the Poet and Painter, are sufficient confirmations of this remark.

The disposition in all these characters to a certain degree of jocularity and sportiveness, is far from being unnatural. On the contrary, I am disposed to

like that of Hamlet, proceeds from excess of tenderness, from too much sensibility to the evils of the world, and the faults of mankind. His moralizing on the poor sequestered stag, is a most beautiful illustration of his tenderness, and of his nice perception and sorrow for the follies and vices of men ; -as his comparison of the world to a stage affords a highly finished picture of the estimation in which he holds human life.

In Timon of Athens,' we are presented with a character in many respects different from that of Hamlet or Jaques. Here we have misanthropy of a much darker hue. Soured with disappointment; fallen from the height of prosperity into the lowest state of adversity; deceived by flattering friends; forsaken by the buzzing attendants on wealth and greatness, Timon conceives disgust at the world and its enjoyments; and that disgust produces hatred and aversion at mankind. Yet even here it is observable, that with all Timon's misanthropy, there is a great mixture of original goodness and benevolence. At his first outset in life he was unsuspicious, and wished to contribute to the happiness of all around him. Being free himself, he thought all others so.' Disappointed in the opinion he had formed of the world, and shocked with the ingratitude he met with; brought low,' as he is said to be, by his own heart, undone by goodness,' he becomes a prey to deep gloom and misanthropy: but with all his misanthropy, he preserves a sense of honour and of right.

It is to be admitted, however, that as Timon's is a character much inferior to, and much less amiable than that of Hamlet or of Jaques, so his misanthropy is of a much blacker and more savage nature. Hamlet's misanthropy arises from a deep sense of the guilt of others ;-Jaques's from a general impression