from which any passage could be less easily struck out. We believe that Shakspere worked in this particular upon a principle of art which he had proposed to himself to adhere to wherever the nature of the scene would allow. The elliptical construction, and the licence of versification, brought the dialogue, whenever the speaker was not necessarily rhetorical, closer to the language of common life. Of all his historical plays, the Henry VIII.' is the nearest in its story to his own times. It professed to be a "truth." It belongs to his own country. It has no poetical indistinctness about it, either of time or place: all is defined. If the diction and the versification had been more artificial it would have been less a reality.

6

TRAGEDIES.

ROMEO AND JULIET.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ESCALUS, Prince of Verona.

PARIS, a young nobleman, kinsman to the Prince.

MONTAGUE,

CAPULET,

}

heads of two houses at variance with each other.

An old Man, uncle to Capulet.

ROMEO, Son to Montague.

MERCUTIO, kinsman to the Prince, and friend to Romeo.
BENVOLIO, nephew to Montague, and friend to Romeo.
TYBALT, nephew to Lady Capulet.

Friar LAURENCE, a Franciscan.

Friar JOHN, of the same order.
BALTHASAR, servant to Romeo.

Citizens of Verona; several Men and Women, relations to both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants.