Play take up the Space of one Day like those of the Menæchmi; but the Action which in the laft is fingle, and the moft fimple that can pof fibly be, is by Shakespear multiplied into feveral, fome of which are far from being either probable or neceflary. He has taken all the Characters in the Menæchmi, except Peniculus the Parafite, and the old Man, Father-in-law to Menæchmus of Epidamnum, and has added feveral others; every one of the Incidents he has likewise made Use of, but varied and added Circumftances fo freely, that his Play feems to be rather an Imitation, than, as Lang bain calls it, a Tranflation or Paraphrafe of the Menæchmi.

The Addition of the two Dromio's increases the Bufinefs of the Play, but renders the Object ftill more improbable, which is fufficiently fo in the Menæchmi, where but half the Degree of Credulity is neceffary to make it be relifhed.

The Miftakes which arife from the Refemblance of the Twins, are conducted with much less Art by Shakespear than Plautus.

In the Latin Poet all appears the Effects of Chance, in Shakespear of Defign; the Perfons in his Drama are hardly ever introduced with Propriety; they appear on the Stage, and go off again, evidently for no other Purpofe than to give Occafion for the Blunders which enfue.

2

Thus

Thus Antipholis of Syracufe being resolved to leave Ephefus, fends Dromio to the Port to fee if any Veffel is ready to fail, and bids him come to him to the Mart, where he will wait his Return, accordingly they feparate, and it may now be reasonably fuppofed that Antipholis is gone thither, but instead of that we find him a Scene or two afterwards standing in the fame Place, where he is met either by the Wife, the Friends, or the Servants of the other Antipholis; and after having with great Difficulty difengaged himself from abundance of perplexing Adventures, again he declares he is going to the Mart, and goes -off for that Purpose, and again he is found in the fame Place to give Rife to new ones.

In this Manner the whole Business of the Comedy of Errors is conducted. Those Errors do not as in the Play, which Shakespear borrowed from, arife out of a natural and probable Succeffion of Incidents, but every Thing is put out of its Course to introduce them, and each Error is produced by an Absurdity.

The

The Story of Amleth, tranflated from the Danish Hiftory of Saxo-Grammaticus.

I

N the Reign of Roderic, Horwendil and Fengo, Sons of Gerwendil, had the Garrison of Jutland committed to them by the King. Horwendil was the bravest Pirate on the Sea, and for the Fame of his Exploits envied by Coller, King of Norway, who failed in pursuit of his Rival; they met, they fought, and the King was flain.

The Encounter of thefe Heroes, with the extraordinary Manner of their Meeting each other alone in the Receffes of a Wood, with other Circumstances as improbable as any in Romance, are related in the true Stile of fuch Writings, by Saxo-Grammaticus, in the third Book of his Danish History.

VOL. II.

M

After

After the Death of Coller, and his Sifter Selam, Horwendil, having for three Years given the greatest Proofs of Valour, deftines his rich Spoils and choice Prey for Roderic, that he might rife in his Friendship. Grown fa-. miliar, he obtains his Daughter, Geruth, in Marriage, and by her had a Son, Amleth.

Fengo, fired with Envy at his Brother's Happiness, is refolved, by Treachery, to ruin him. So that Virtue is not always fecure against the Defigns of fuch as are the nearest to, and the most intimate with us. For when an Opportunity offered to commit Fratricide, he with bloody Hand fatiates the dire Luft of his Heart, poifoned with Envy; and enjoying the Wife of his murdered Brother, adds foul Inceft to his Fratricide. He who fubmits to one Offence too readily, offends again, for one. Crime is often the Provocation to another.

He contrived this Villany, with fuch Art and Impudence as to frame an Excuse for his Guilt from counterfeit Benevolence, and give to Fratricide the Colour of Love. Geruth was. of fo mild a Difpofition as never to give the leaft Offence, and yet he said she had incurred the fevereft Hatred of her Hufband, and that he had killed his Brother for her fake, and to. fave her, thinking it ungenerous fo gentle a Lady, and without Gall, fhould endure the extream Moroseness of that Man.

His Succefs was equal to his. Withes, for Princes may be deceived, and made to believe Untruths