is something singularly Ridiculous and Pleasant in the fantastical
Steward _Malvolio_. The Parasite and the Vain-glorious in _Parolles_, in
_All's Well that ends Well_ is as good as any thing of that Kind in
_Plautus_ or _Terence_. _Petruchio_, in _The Taming of the Shrew_, is an
uncommon Piece of Humour. The Conversation of _Benedick_ and _Beatrice_
in _Much ado about Nothing_, and of _Rosalind_ in _As you like it_, have
much Wit and Sprightliness all along. His Clowns, without which
Character there was hardly any Play writ in that Time, are all very
entertaining: And, I believe, _Thersites_ in _Troilus_ and _Cressida_,
and _Apemantus_ in _Timon_, will be allow'd to be Master-Pieces of ill
Nature, and satyrical Snarling. To these I might add, that incomparable
Character of _Shylock_ the _Jew_, in _The Merchant of_ Venice; but tho'
we have seen that Play Receiv'd and Acted as a Comedy, and the Part of
the _Jew_ perform'd by an Excellent Comedian, yet I cannot but think it
was design'd Tragically by the Author. There appears in it such a
deadly Spirit of Revenge, such a savage Fierceness and Fellness, and
such a bloody designation of Cruelty and Mischief, as cannot agree
either with the Stile or Characters of Comedy. The Play it self, take it
all together, seems to me to be one of the most finish'd of any of
_Shakespear_'s. The Tale indeed, in that Part relating to the Caskets,
and the extravagant and unusual kind of Bond given by _Antonio_, is a
little too much remov'd from the Rules of Probability: But taking the
Fact for granted, we must allow it to be very beautifully written. There
is something in the Friendship of _Antonio_ to _Bassanio_ very Great,
Generous and Tender. The whole fourth Act, supposing, as I said, the
Fact to be probable, is extremely Fine. But there are two Passages that
deserve a particular Notice. The first is, what _Portia_ says in praise
of Mercy, _pag. 577_; and the other on the Power of Musick, _pag. 587_.
The Melancholy of _Jacques_, in _As you like it_, is as singular and odd
as it is diverting. And if what _Horace_ says