broke chooses to be silent. He, too, has an imagination of his own; but it is wholly occupied with forecasting events, anticipating difficulties, confronting opposition, attaining ends. For none of his kinsfolk or friends is Henry a 'sweet, lovely rose'; but at least he is a strong man armed. And as we follow his career in the later Lancastrian plays, we see that Shakespeare has pity not only for Richard but for Richard's rival and subduer. For, though the usurper can win followers and supporters, he cannot bind them to him in the bands of loyalty and love. He courts his people, but many of them fall away. His nobles plot against him. His great son, while at heart loyal, flies from the coldness of the court to the mirth of the tavern; he is for a time content to be misunderstood by the father whom he would sustain and comfort in his solitude if that were possible. Such is the inevitable punishment for Bolingbroke's defects of character; but while Shakespeare exhibits those defects, he pities the strong man whom years and toil have at last bowed down and broken. The portrait so effectively outlined in Richard II is completed with perfect consistency of design in the first and second parts of Henry IV. The present play-apart from the spectacle for which it affords occasion-gains less than many other plays of Shakespeare by being seen in the theatre. Its stage history is not remarkable. Nahum Tate in 1681 produced an adaptation of it entitled The Sicilian Usurper. Theobald offered the public a version of his own in 1719, with additions and large omissions. In a later version appeared Edmund Kean. The article by Hazlitt in The Examiner, reprinted in his View of the English Stage, is probably the most authoritative criticism of Kean's performance. There are only,' he writes, 'one or two electrical shocks given in it; and in many of his characters he gives a much greater number. The excellence of his acting is in proportion to the number of hits. . . . Mr. Kean made Richard a character of passion, that is, of feeling combined with Mr. energy; whereas it is a character of pathos, that is to say, of feeling combined with weakness. Kean expresses all the violence, the extravagance, and fierceness of the passions, but not their misgivings, their helplessness, and sinkings into despair. 66 We might instance to the present purpose, his dashing the glass down with all his might in the scene with Hereford, instead of letting it fall out of his hands, as from an infant's; also his manner of expostulating with Bolingbroke, Why on thy knee, thus low, &c.,' which was altogether fierce and heroic, instead of being sad, thoughtful, and melancholy.' Hazlitt quotes from Wroughton's version of 1815, which described itself as having considerable alterations and additions from the writings of Shakespeare'. DRAMATIS PERSONAE KING RICHARD THE SECOND. JOHN OF GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster, EDMUND OF LANGLEY, Duke of York, Uncles to the King. HENRY, surnamed BOLINGBROKE, Duke of Hereford, Son to John of Gaunt: afterwards King Henry IV. DUKE OF AUMERLE, Son to the Duke of York. THOMAS MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk. DUKE OF SURREY. EARL OF SALISBURY. LORD BERKELEY. BUSHY, BAGOT, Servants to King Richard. EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND. HENRY PERCY, surnamed Hotspur, his Son. LORD ROSS. LORD WILLOUGHBY. LORD FITZWATER. BISHOP OF CARLISLE. ABBOT OF WESTMINSTER. LORD MARSHAL. SIR PIERCE OF EXTON. SIR STEPHEN SCROOP. Captain of a Band of Welshmen. QUEEN TO KING RICHARD. DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER. DUCHESS OF York. Lady attending on the Queen. Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Gardeners, Keeper, Messenger, Groom, and other Attendants. SCENE.-Dispersedly in England and Wales. THE TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND ACT I. SCENE I.-London. A Room in the Palace. Enter KING RICHARD, attended; JOHN OF GAUNT, and other Nobles. KING RICHARD. Old John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Hast thou, according to thy oath and band, KING RICHARD. Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him, If he appeal the duke on ancient malice, Or worthily, as a good subject should, On some known ground of treachery in him? 8 GAUNT. As near as I could sift him on that argument, On some apparent danger seen in him Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice. 13 KING RICHARD. Then call them to our presence: face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear 16 [Exeunt some Attendants. High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire, rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire. In Re-enter Attendants, with BOLINGBROKE and MOWBRAY. BOLINGBROKE. Many years of happy days befall 20 My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege! MOWBRAY. Each day still better other's happiness; Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap, Add an immortal title to your crown! KING RICHARD. flatters us, 24 We thank you both: yet one but 28 As well appeareth by the cause you come ; In the devotion of a subject's love, Tendering the precious safety of my prince, 32 36 40 44 What my tongue speaks, my right drawn sword may prove. MOWBRAY. Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal : 'Tis not the trial of a woman's war, 48 The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain ; The blood is hot that must be cool'd for this: Yet can I not of such tame patience boast 52 First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me 56 |