Cibber changes this most absurdly to 66 My dukedom to a widow's chastity." Persons who lay wagers do not lay a dukedom against a quality. In the Soliloquy, Gloster says “But first I'll turn yon' fellow in his grave.” Cibber foolishly alters this to St. Harry-he met with the expression in Caryl's English Princess, or Death of Richard the 3d. Cibber has improperly omitted the scene with King Edward &c. to this scene there is a note by Steevens, which is particularly worth attention, as it completely vindicates Milton from a charge which has been repeatedly brought against him-that of censuring Charles the 1st for reading Shakspeare-it appears clearly by the extract which Steevens gives from the Iconoclastes, that Milton does not censure the King for reading Shakspeare. The scene in the original after King Edward's death is but indifferent; nor has Cibber much im. proved it by his alterations or additions. Act 3d-Shakspeare begins this act with "Welcome, sweet Prince, to London, to your "chamber." On which Pope remarks that London was anciently called the King's Chamber-this appellation however was not confined to London, as when this same Prince Edward came with his father to Coventry in 1474, St. Edward in a Pageant welcomed him to his chamber-see Hist. Histrionica. Cibber has altered the beginning of this act very badly-it required nothing but the omission of some unimportant lines-the first 20 wanted no alteration. Then the Prince might have said, as in the Original, Say, Uncle Gloster, if our Brother come, For your best health and recreation. Prince. I do not like the Tower of any place- Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edify'd. Prince. I'll tell you what, my Cousin Buck- Buck. What, my gracious Lord? Prince. An if I live until I be a man, I'll win our ancient right in France again, Or die a Soldier, as I liv'd a King. Glo. Short Summers mostly have a forward Thus the scene might have proceeded with the change of one word only-mostly for lightly. When the Duke of York enters, Cibber has judiciously adopted some few lines from a former scene. 'With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons" &c. These 4 lines, which belong to Buckingham, Cibber has improperly divided between Stanley and Tressel, the latter of whom has no business on the stage at all. When Gloster directs Buckingham to infer the bastardy of Edward's children, Shakspeare makes Gloster add Nay, for a need, thus far come near my per "son: "Tell them, when that my mother went with "child "Of that insatiate Edward, noble York, My princely father, then had wars in France; And, by just computation of the time, "Found, that the issue was not his begot." Cibber makes Gloster say Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person; "Tell 'em, when my mother went with child " of me, My princely father then had wars in France, "And by true computation of the time, Found, that the issue was not his begot." Thus these lines are printed in the grand edition of Cibber's works in 1721-in the play as printed from the D. L. Prompt-book by Bell in 1773 these lines are omitted-some person had the sense to see that Cibber had made Gloster attempt to prove himself a bastard instead of his brother. Gloster, according to Cibber, says— Catesby, go thou with speed to Doctor Shaw, " and thence "To Fryer Beuker " the folio edition calls this Friar, Peuker-his name was properly Pinker or Penker-he was Provincial of the Augustine Monks and a popular man-Dr. Shaw was a famous preacher and brother to the Lord Mayor-see Rapin for the account of the Sermon he preached at St. Paul's, and the Farce concerted between him and the Duke of Gloster, which the Duke spoilt by not entering at his cue. Gloster concludes the scene with a Soliloquy of above 20 lines-this may be considered as the acme of Cibber's poetry-it would be doing him injustice not to quote a part of it. "Conscience! 'tis our coin, we live by parting "with it; "And he thrives best, that has the most to spare. "The protesting lover buys hope with it, Your lank-jawed hungry judge will dine upon't, "And hang the guiltless, rather than eat his mut"ton cold." &c. A great deal has in this act been omitted about Hastings, part of which Rowe has borrowed, and put into Jane Shore. The beginning of the next scene, according to Cibber, is stupid enough, notwithstanding the soft music-when Gloster enters, the dialogue between him and Lady Anne is Cibber's, and not bad. Buckingham's account of what had passed at Guildhall and the scene with the Mayor &c. is not materially altered. "When holy and devout religious men "Are at their beads, 'tis hard to draw them "thence, "So sweet is zealous contemplation." Who but Cibber would have omitted these 3 lines? -the act concludes with a contemptible Soliloquy by Gloster. Act 4th-the 1st scene of this act in the original play is bad-it required alteration, but Cibber has not altered it happily--he attempts to be pathetic, but is not very successful. In both the plays Gloster gives orders that no person should be admitted to the Princes-this being done, Shakspeare with his usual judgment places the 1st scene of this act before the Tower, and the Queen is refused to see her children-Cibber with his usual impropriety places the scene in the Tower, and the Queen seems to have gained admission without any difficulty—she is even so absurd as to attempt to take the young Princes away with her, just as if they had been common children-Cibber's additions to this scene are poor stuff. When the King proposes to Buckingham to murder his nephews, all is so well written, that no man who had a grain of modesty would have made any alteration—but Cibber makes some changes for the |