AN ESSAY ON THE CHARACTER OF HAMLET.

THE writings of Shakeſpear have main⯑tained the poſt of eminence ſo long, that moſt people feign or poſſeſs ſome reliſh for them: his beauties have been acknowledged by every man of fine taſte, and his obſcurities eluci⯑dated, by the moſt ſubtle, elaborate, and learn⯑ed commentators this country has produced; to venture therefore upon the inveſtigation of a ſub⯑ject, apparently exhauſted, might be as hazard⯑ous, as it ſeems barren. But though it would be preſumption in an artiſt, to deſign the model of a temple, or a palace, after a maſter in architecture, it ſurely cannot arraign his diſ⯑cretion, [2]to fix on a ſingle column, and catch ſome minute beauty in the architrave or frieze, which may have eſcaped a mind expanded to embrace a vaſter object.

The writer of this eſſay, means to inſulate the character of Hamlet, from the other perſons of the drama; and after having conſidered the philoſophic Prince, in regard to ſituation, temper, paſſions, and underſtanding, to ex⯑amine with coolneſs and impartiality, Mr. Henderſon's repreſentation of him; compare ſhade, with ſhade, and tint, with tint, then finally aſcertain the degree of conception, and execution, that gentleman exhibited in his performance.

This ſpeices of criticiſm has at leaſt novelty to recommend it; for though taſte and learning dedicate every effort to eſtabliſh the reputation, and perpetuate the memory of the poet, the actor, to whom he is often indebted for more than one laurel, is rarely honored with a leaf, to protect him from oblivion. The graces of action, the harmony of elocution, and the energy of ſoul which diſtinguiſhes the favourite of the ſiſter muſes purchaſe a tranſitory fame which periſhes with the poſſeſſor, and had Gar⯑rick [3]no perſonal intereſt with Apollo, the ſmiles of Thalia, and the favor of Melpomene, would have been a precarious tenure on immortality.

The character of Hamlet, though not the moſt finiſhed, is certainly one of the moſt ſplendid efforts of Shakeſpear's genius. He has combined in it, every circumſtance which can affect the heart, or intereſt the underſtanding. He repreſents a Prince, in the bloom of life, plunged into a deep melancholy, at the death of a father, whom he tenderly loved. The filial piety of a ſon, is finely contraſted by the levity of a mother, who in defiance of cenſure, and the ties of conſanguinity, marries her deceaſed huſband's brother.

Hamlet's underſtanding is ſound, and his ſenſibility exquiſite. He is moreover adorned with every liberal accompliſhment, which can diſtinguiſh the gentleman and the ſcholar: his reaſonings are deep, and his paſſions ardent; and as both are excited by great and adequate motives, his character affords the moſt ample field for the diſplay of theatrical abilities. Such [4]is the contour of Hamlet, as delineated by Shakeſpear, and which he has filled with as rich and glowing colours, as ever dropped from the pencil of imagination. The appearance of a young performer in a character of this importance, muſt excite the curioſity of every admirer of the drama. But in this ſickly win⯑ter, this blight of the ſtage, when figure and voice, in general are the only ſubſtitutes for feeling, conception, and imagination; it is no wonder, every dawn of thoſe fine faculties, is received with pleaſure, and foſtered with ap⯑probation.

Mr. Henderſon, after having given infinite ſatisfaction in the character of Shylock, ap⯑peared for the firſt time in Hamlet. His ſuc⯑ceſs muſt have ſurpaſſed his moſt ſanguine ex⯑pectations; he deſerved, and obtained great praiſe; but in juſtice to his abilities, and in order to maintain the candour, and aſcert the dignity of taſte, it is neceſſary to examine with coolneſs, and preciſion, his per⯑formance; and judging by the ſtandards of nature and truth, pronounce where he merited cenſure, and where approbation. It has often been conteſted by theatrical polemicks, whether figure may not be diſpenſed with in an [5]actor of real genius. It muſt be allowed, that a man of ſenſe and feeling, with a tolerable per⯑ſon, will pleaſe a judicious audience, much more than a blockhead, with beauty and grace; but in order to compleatly fill the idea, im⯑preſſed on the mind by the poet, every youth⯑ful perſonage, that ſtands eminently forward in the drama, unleſs marked by record or tra⯑dition, with deformity, ſhould certainly poſſeſs thoſe external requiſites, which at ſight conci⯑liate reſpect and eſteem; they augment our in⯑tereſt in the happineſs or miſery of the character, and render ſympathy more exquiſite. From the expreſs words of the poet, Hamlet ſhould have the moſt prepoſſeſſing aſpect and demeanor.

And again,

Mr. Henderſon's perſon is far from ſtriking; it is rather under the middle ſize, and moulded with no extraordinary elegance, or ſymmetry. His eye is good, and all his other features, bold and marking; but his countenance ſeemed [6]incapable of aſſuming the pathetic engaging look, which ſhould peculiarly diſtinguiſh the character; his deportment was eaſy, but not graceful; and was conſiderably injured by his appearing over ſolicitous about the diſpoſal of his hands; it is particular, and ungraceful, to confine them too much to the boſom. Mr. Henderſon's firſt impreſſion therefore was not very favorable to him. But if he appeared inadequate to the character in aſpect, and de⯑portment, he ſoon convinced his auditors, that he was not deficient in judgment and feeling. When the Queen charges Hamlet, almoſt in direct terms, with hypocriſy, perſevering in obſtinate ſorrow, for a loſs which could not be retrieved, Mr. Henderſon delivered his pathetic reply with great ſenſibility; his look, tone, and geſture, were as well conceived, as exe⯑cuted, and finely marked the reſentment of a delicate, and liberal ſpirit hurt by a reproach it was conſcious of not meriting. Excellence in ſpeaking a ſoliloquy, is one of the greateſt difficulties in the art of acting. Nature is the only dictator inſpirited and impaſſioned ſcenes, moreover in dialogue, the eye of the ſpeaker is fixed by the perſon addreſſed; but in thoſe cool deliberations which the mind holds with itſelf, when reaſon drops a curtain before the [7]eye of ſenſe, and every external object is ex⯑cluded, it is then the genius of the actor is tried, for unleſs he has a ſtrong imagination to render him thoroughly poſſeſſed of the character, united to a ſound judgment, and the happieſt powers of execution, his attention will unavoidably be ſolicited by the audience, and render his words ridiculous and unnatural. Though we cannot pronounce Mr. Henderſon excellent in this department of the hiſtrionic art, yet he was far from reprehenſible; he appeared to want practice more than judgment, and a young actor ſeldom poſſeſſes his powers at once in full flexibility. When the mind is ſtrongly agitated, the body is reſtleſs and unſettled—therefore Mr. Henderſon's walking to and fro during the time he waited to ſee his father's ſpirit was extremely natural; however we moſt earneſtly intreat him never in future to prepare us for a ſtart by pulling off his hat immediately before the appearance of the ghoſt; if he apprehends that appendage to dreſs may conceal the part of his face, where terror and anxiety are moſt ſtrongly expreſſed, let him contrive to get rid of it in his firſt confu⯑ſion; which if he cannot do with eaſe, let him remember, that in the fine arts, nothing is a beauty which militates with [8]nature and truth. In the ſolemn addreſs to the Ghoſt, Mr. Henderſon's voice was low, tre⯑mulous, and interrupted; riſing gradually to a more confirmed tone, as his fears ſubſided; but his ejaculation to the protecting Angels of grace, was offered up before he ſaw the ſpirit; his ſucceeding pauſe was juſt and natural; for terror incites an inſtantaneous wiſh for ſafety; and it is always ſome time before the mind recovers itſelf enough to attend to any other object. There is a very capital blunder in the conduct of this ſcene, of which moſt Hamlets are guilty; when the ſpirit appears, Horatio and Marcellus, inſtead of conſulting their own ſafeties, ſeize Hamlet's arms; as if, from their prior acquaintance with the Ghoſt, they were become familiar. This is not only abſurd and unnatural, but robs the principal object of a pictureſque and ſtriking attitude. Hamlet, when firſt acquainted of the appari⯑tion, ſeems to have a precognition that his fa⯑ther was come to reveal ſome important ſecret; for he ſays.

[11] And from the following paſſage, he appears determined, in ſpite of oppoſition, to interro⯑gate the ſpirit, and know what ſeduced him from the bourne of eternity—

The apparition, inſtead of replying, continues to make repeated ſignals, as if he wiſhed to impart ſomething to Hamlet alone.—He prepares to follow, but is held by his friends; it is natural to ſuppoſe that this check muſt rather increaſe than diminiſh his anxiety; and by his own words he appears worked up to the moſt extravagant pitch of deſperation —he declares that he does not value his life, that he thinks himſelf ſummoned by the voice of fate, and that he feels the pettieſt channel that throbs with life in his body as hardy as the Nemaean lion's nerve. Therefore during the ſtruggle to diſengage himſelf from Marcellus and Horatio, his look and geſture ſhould be wild, and his voice piercingly ener⯑gic.—Mr. Henderſon fell infinitely ſhort of this conception, either from want of viva⯑city of paſſion, or a deficiency of power in the upper tones of his voice; his painting was [12]juſt, but not bold or maſterly; from faintneſs of colouring the effect of light and ſhade was inconſiderable, had he been more animated, the tranſition from extremity of emotion to reſpect and duty, when he bids the ghoſt proceed, would have had a prodigious fine effect.—Short as this ſcene is, Garrick's ex⯑cellence in it was aſtoniſhing; he preſerved Shakeſpear's fire undiminiſhed, faithful as the electric, and ſent the animated ſhock of na⯑ture's flame home to the heart.—It is to be regretted that a young performer of Mr. Hen⯑derſon's abilities can never behold this great model of Theatrical Perfection; for men of real genius profit from each other, without deſcending to the ſervility of imitation.— During the ſubſequent ſcene with the Ghoſt, Mr. Henderſon was every thing that criticiſm could wiſh; but if he would obſerve the mi⯑nutiae of propriety, he would drop his ſword when the ſpirit tells him that he is his father; hitherto he had but preſumptive proofs.

It muſt be confeſſed that this is a piece of ſtage etiquette, which may be complied or diſ⯑penſed with AD LIBITUM; and perhaps it ne⯑ver would have been noticed by the writer of this eſſay, but for the extraordinary ingenuity [13]of a news-paper Drawcanſir, who moſt ſaga⯑ciouſly remarked, in one of his daily critique's, that Hamlet's promiſing to revenge his father's death after he had dropped his ſword, was ab⯑ſurd, judiciouſly ſuppoſing that he could not take it up again.

From the diſappearing of the Ghoſt to the cloſe of the firſt act, there are few opportuni⯑ties for the diſplay of ſuperior talents. Mr. Henderſon ſpoke the ſoliloquy previous to the entry of Horatio and Marcellus, with great feeling and propriety, and preſerved a beauty in this ſpeech which is either loſt or rendered rediculous by the generality of performers; it is Hamlet's taking his tablets out, in order to ſet down—

This is an action ſtrong emotion may dic⯑tate, but which nothing elſe can authorize. Therefore, if the actor be not animated, it will paſs unnoticed, or appear like the flight of a lunatic. Mr. Henderſon felt, and nature ſuſ⯑tained no injury. At the concluſion of the firſt act, Hamlet becomes a new character, de⯑termined on avenging the murder of his fa⯑ther, and juſtly alarmed for his own ſafety, he [14]aſſumes the maſk of inſanity, to conceal his intentions, and lull the ſuſpicions of the king his uncle. There is no part of acting more difficult to exhibit, than that of madneſs. It requires great flexibility of voice, and counte⯑nance, to expreſs the rapid ſucceſſion of ima⯑ges, that float acroſs a diſtracted fancy. The eye ſhould be wild, yet vacant, and the tones piercing. It is true, Hamlet's madneſs is feigned; but it is evident from the following lively deſcription, that the poet meant, it ſhould be counterfeited with great ſtrength of imagination and maſterly touches of nature.—

In the firſt ſcene with Polonius, Mr. Hen⯑derſon would have been unexceptionable, had he paid more regard to a ſtriking and pic⯑tureſque manner. He looked, and conceived the poet juſtly, but diminiſhed the fine effect his diſordered appearance would have had, by inattention to attitude and grace. There never [15]was perhaps a more admirable deſcription of a rooted melancholy, than the relation Ham⯑let gives to Roſincraus and Guildenſtern, of the progreſs of his diſtemper. It riſes with ſtriking and noble images, in grand ſucceſſion to an aſtoniſhing pitch of ſublimity. The laſt objection made to Mr. Henderſon, ſtands here alſo againſt him. His tones and manner had not the correſpondent weight, which the majeſty of the ſentiments he uttered required. If he delivered this ſpeech leſs rapidly, and made a ſhort pauſe previous to the words— ‘What a piece of work is man,’ it would have had a much better effect. In his ſcene with the players he was eaſy, ſenſi⯑ble and ſpirited; and gave the charge to them, as well, perhaps, as any man who ever per⯑formed the character.—It is painful to point out blemiſhes, where many beauties are to be met with. But the parterre will be ſoon over-run, if the weeds are ſuffered to remain, leſt the act of removing them ſhould lacerate the flowers.— Hamlet is ſtung with ſhame, to ſee a player, by the force of imagination, deeply affected, for the calamities of a perſon who has been dead for centuries, and naturally aſks, "what would ſuch a man do, had he motives to ſtir the cauſe of vengeance which he himſelf had. [16]In enumerating them, his paſſion kindles, till he becomes frantic with rage. Mr. Hender⯑ſon wanted fire and rapidity. In reaſoning up⯑on the imagination of the player, and his own tardineſs to revenge, he was ſtriking and na⯑tural, but his indignation was not vented with the energy of ſtrong paſſion. When the mind is ſhook with violent anger, every ſentence is uttered in the higheſt key of the voice. It is the native tone of rage, and if the performer cannot reach it, he comes tardy of the poet's conception. Mr. Henderſon never employs the upper key, which we are inclined to attri⯑bute to want of judgment rather than to want of genius. Rant conſiſts in the miſapplication, not in the great exertion of the voice. For in the impaſſioned part of this ſpeech, every word Mr. Garrick utters, ſeems to ruſh from the burning mint of ſenſibility; which proves, that the loudeſt extent of voice will not offend, when the heart replies to it in ſympathy. Mr. Henderſon laid a glaring falſe emphaſis in this ſpeech. In repeating

he puts the ſtreſs upon HER, though there is no antitheſis. Hamlet is not ſurpriſed at the [17]player's weeping for Hecuba in PARTICU⯑LAR, but that he ſhou'd weep for any per⯑ſon, with whom he was utterly unconnected; if this paſſage be received as Mr. Henderſon ſpoke it, one would be apt to conclude, that there was ſomething in the miſeries of Hecuba, which excluded her from compaſſion.

The third act opens with the celebrated ſo⯑liloquy upon ſuicide. Hamlet, weary of be⯑ing obliged to procraſtinate his revenge, and ſick of the calamities of life, from which he ſaw no rank or condition to be exempted, reflects which ſhould be preferred in adverſity, exiſtence or death ^* the magnitude of this ſubject gives [18]great ſcope to an actor of genius. Mr. Henderſon appeared in every reſpect equal to it; his words and action ſeemed to flow from deep and ſtrong thinking; and both were regulated by the ſtricteſt rules of taſte and judgment. Hamlet's meditations are interrupted by the preſence of Ophelia. He addreſſes her at firſt, with gen⯑tleneſs and delicacy. But recollecting the cha⯑racter he had to ſuſtain, he ſtarts wildly from the point, and under the ſhelter of frenzy, vents the keeneſt ſatyr againſt the ſex in gene⯑ral. Here Mr. Henderſon was too tame. He ſhould remember, that though there be truth, and ſtrong ſenſe in what he ſays, that he is ſtill the mad-man; and that unleſs his look and manner be wild, and his utterance rapid, he will be diſcovered. No actor will perform this ſcene well, without a fine imagination, to catch the enthuſiaſm of the poet; and out of love to the expiring genius of the ſtage, we hope Mr. Henderſon poſſeſſes it. It would be tedious [19]and unneceſſary to dwell upon paſſages which any performer of good ſenſe may execute with⯑out incurring cenſure, or extorting applauſe. We ſhall confine our obſervations to thoſe parts alone where excellence may be diſplayed. From the king's confuſion at the murder of Gonzago, Hamlet is convinced of his guilt. His doubts therefore are removed, reſpecting the veracity of the ghoſt, and he determines upon revenge the firſt opportunity. Upon find⯑ing the king at prayers, he is about to put him to death; but recollecting that it was not in the moment of contrition, he killed his father, that he took him, full of bread, ‘With all his crimes, broad blown, as fluſh as May.’ he reſolves to defer his vengeance to the un⯑prepared hour of pleaſure and debauch. This principal link, being omitted in the repreſen⯑tation, and no other cauſe ſubſtituted, for Hamlet's continuing to procraſtinate, he ap⯑pears 'weak and inconſiſtent, during the laſt two acts. At the private interview Ham⯑let has with his mother, Mr. Henderſon was rather too boiſterous and irreverent to a queen and his parent. A liberal mind will preſerve delicacy, even in reproaches. In ſpeaking,

he pauſes after the words, "Your huſband's, brother's wife," and by uttering the reſt of the paſſage in one continued tone, perverts the ſenſe, appearing to deſire, that the queen was not his mother, when the poet means he ſhould wiſh, that ſhe was not married to his uncle. This interpretation of the paſſage is ſanctified, not only by Hamlet's general character, but by his own words. Notwithſtanding the in⯑continence of his mother, he conſtantly be⯑trays the tenderneſs of a ſon, and feels for her weakneſs as a woman.

Hamlet's producing the picture of his father and his uncle, is a happy and affecting inci⯑dent; but we think Mr. Henderſon's concep⯑tion, in one part of it, erroneous. When the pious prince dwells upon the perſonal beauty of his father, and contraſts it with the defor⯑mity of his uncle, admiration, not grief, is the [21]predominant paſſion; ſorrow chills the fancy, and the following images appear to be the offspring of the moſt glowing imagination.—

Imagery rich as this, requires a firm animated tone of grandeur. But Mr. Henderſon's voice broke into a boyiſh whimper, which not a ſyl⯑lable he had to utter could juſtify, or dictate. Throwing away the king's picture, ſavours ra⯑ther of trick; beſides it does not ſeem to aug⯑ment our ſenſibility. Mr. Henderſon's terror was finely expreſſed upon the appearance of the ghoſt; his voice, countenance and attitude, conſprired with united force to ſtrike us with awe, pity, and admiration; and if he would avoid the errors hinted at, his cloſet ſcene would be a moſt capital piece of acting.—One of the principal defects in this tragedy, is the almoſt total excluſion of Hamlet from the fourth act; ſo long loſing ſight of the chief perſonage in the drama, our intereſt for him is diminiſhed: as the piece was originally written, Hamlet has [22]three ſcenes in the fourth act, but two of which are retained, though the third con⯑tains a moſt beautiful ſoliloquy, in which Hamlet juſtifies himſelf, for ſuſpending the revenge he promiſed his father. In Mr. Gar⯑rick's alteration this ſpeech is preſerved. The opening of the fifth act is ſtained with low ri⯑baldry, but ſo intimately connected with ſtri⯑king beauties, that it would be impoſſible to expunge the one without loſing the other. Hamlet's reflections upon the laſt humiliating ſtate of human nature, are awful and affecting, particularly thoſe upon the ſkull of Yorick, when he beholds the ſad disfigured remains, of a man who was once dear to him, mouldring into duſt, hideous with deformity, the food and habitation of the worm; but the genius of Shakeſpear penetrated all nature, and his voice is heard from the tomb. We were ſurprized and chagrined, to find Mr. Henderſon fell ſhort of our expectations in this ſcene. His expreſſion was languid and unimpaſſioned. He appeared over ſolicitous to give force and ſo⯑lemnity to his manner, and in the attempt loſt the fine ſpirit of the poet. In uttering the rant into which Hamlet breaks at Ophelia's fune⯑ral, Mr. Henderſon diſtorts the ſenſe of one line by a falſe emphaſis. Laertes, when his [23]ſiſter's obſequies are nearly finiſhed, overcome with ſorrow, leaps into her grave, and cries, ‘Now heap your mountains on the quick and dead,’ deſiring, in the extravagance of grief, to be interred alive with one ſo dear to him. Ham⯑let, whoſe affection for Ophelia was not leſs ardent, challenges him to give a proof of ſu⯑perior tenderneſs, and after propoſing the wildeſt teſts which frenzy could dictate, ſays, ‘BE buried quick with her and ſo will I.’ As this was a propoſal of Laertes, not Ham⯑let, the emphatical word undoubtedly is the monoſylable BE. Mr. Henderſon does not obſerve this emphaſis, therefore from his tone we would conclude that Laertes had not, pri⯑or to Hamlet, deſired to be interred with O⯑phelia, but that this thought was originally the latter's, and only in the climas of extrava⯑gant images which burſt from him in the ef⯑ferveſcence of imagination. When Oſtrick cries a hit, a palpable hit; Laertes' point is at Hamlet's breaſt, owing to Mr. Henderſon's ignorance of the ſword. Fencing is an ac⯑compliſhment, not to be diſpenſed with in an actor; and nothing ſo much promotes grace⯑fulneſs [24]of deportment. Mr. Henderſon's dy⯑ing ſcene was capital, it appeared indeed the laſt ſtruggle of the ſpirit, when life hangs quivering to a point, and death extinguiſhes it.—

Having thus progreſſively traced Mr. Henderſon through the character of Hamlet, and remarked with equal candour upon his merits and imperfections; we muſt pronounce him, notwithſtanding ſome blemiſhes, the beſt performer now left to ſupport the drooping trophies of the ſtage. He poſſeſſes taſte, feel⯑ing and good ſenſe; and though not bleſſed by nature with that portion of aetherial fire, which alone could once purchaſe him emi⯑nence on the ſtage, he muſt always main⯑tain the ſuperiority of men, who in general are indebted to accident, perſon, or intereſt, for their ſituations.

Is it not ridiculous and diſguſting to hear a man without an atom of feeling draul out in one uniform, unvaried tone, the moſt point⯑ed obſervation or lively paſſion? Is it not monſtrous to behold another with the ſepul⯑chral aſpect of an undertaker, and a voice as diſmal as the hooting of the owl warbling out [25]Romeo, and putting Shakeſpear to death? But what is infinitely, if poſſible, more pre⯑poſterous, we are ſometimes obliged to bear a man, whoſe enormous bulk and drouſy eye would incline us to believe, that he had bet⯑ter taſte in Calipaſh and Calipee, than in de⯑licacy of ſentiment, and reſembles an alderman or a butcher more than a lover or a hero ^* For heaven's ſake, does a manager ever purchaſe actors by the pound, tha he will employ ſuch people? We congratulate the public upon their acquiſition in Mr. Henderſon, and hope his genius will protect us at leaſt in part from like mortifications in future.