"To let these hands obey my blood,"

is corrupt either by omission or misarrangement.

(Fleay.)

5. Shakespeare admits an extra syllable before a pause either in the middle or at the end of a line. In fact, he treats any line containing a full stop or even a colon as if it were

two lines

The end of a line always counts as a pause whether stopt or not.

6. Shakespeare's metre varies at different periods of his life to an extent unknown to any other writer; for instance :—

a. Doggrel lines abound in his earliest comedies. Love's Labour's Lost has 194; the Comedy of Errors, 109; Two Gentlemen of Verona, 18; Merchant of Venice, 4. They never occur after this.

b. Alternately rhyming lines abound in his early plays, but gradually decrease, and at the end of his second period are for ever thrown aside.

c. The use of rhyme couplets diminishes gradually from a proportion of two rhyme lines to one of blank verse, down to an absolute absence of rhyme.

d. Alexandrines, which are absent in his earliest plays, increase gradually, though irregularly, until his latest.

e. Alexandrines not only increase in frequency, but assume a freer form, having pauses in the later plays after the 2nd, 7th, 8th, or 10th syllable, like Spenser's, instead of being confined to the French form with pause in the middle, as in his first and second periods.

f. Lines with an extra syllable before a pause are most frequent in his third period.

g. On adopting the use of lines with weak or unemphatic endings (with, of, you, and, &c., for final words), he gave up in some measure the lines mentioned in ƒ.

h. Lines with extra end-syllable, or female lines, as they are often called, increase in frequency from none to 726.

i. Lines of less than 5 measures are more abundant in the later plays; but how far this is due to omissions and alterations for stage purposes we cannot tell.

j. The use of weak-ending lines increases regularly throughout the fourth period of these plays.

k. On the combined use of these facts as foundations, it is possible to construct a scheme of chronology for the plays which shall not contradict any external evidence, and shall be in accordance with critical dicta derived from higher considerations. Such a scheme is given in Part II. with the numerical data on which it is founded.

As these peculiarities of metre have been applied not only to the determining the chronological succession of our author's works, but also to the distinguishing his work from that of others, it may be well here to note the characteristics of a few authors sufficiently to ensure the recognition of their work.

Fletcher can be at once distinguished by the number of female lines, in which he exceeds every other English author. His lines are usually "stopt," and often end in an extra emphatic syllable. Thus:

"And stand upon as strong and honest guards too."

Massinger is known instantly by his numerous weak endings, in which he indulges beyond any other writer; his lines are usually not stopt; he avoids lines of less than 5 feet.

Neither of these writers admits prose.

Jonson is known by jolting rough tri-syllabic feet where there is no pause.

"Best put yourself in your case again and keep."

He avoids lines of less than 5 feet, and is singularly regular in his

metre.

Ford has many female lines, but avoids short lines, which distinguishes him from Fletcher. The chronological order of his plays exactly agrees with the proportions of rhymes and female lines in them.

Chapman can be known by his use of such rhymes as gárland, hand; pálace, face; by his frequent elision of v between two vowels, as in clo'en, gi'en, &c., and his regular verse not admitting lines of less than 5 feet, except in a very few instances.

Peele uses rhymes (like Chapman) such as gárland, hand, &c., and indulges in tri-syllabic feet like Jonson, but to a much greater extent.

Beaumont is distinguished from Fletcher by admitting prose, not using the extra emphatic syllable, allowing rhymes in the middle of his blank verse, and frequent unstopped lines.

Marlowe is distinguished from Peele by his not using the Chapman rhymes nor the tri-syllabic feet of Jonson; from Greene by his frequent omissions of the initial syllable in his blank verse. It is very doubtful if any prose in his plays, as published, is of his writing.

Greene is distinguished by his regular see-saw unmelodious rhythm and his abundance of stopped lines. He never acquired any proficiency in his handling of blank verse.

Lodge is remarkable for the similarity of his metrical style to that of the earliest plays of Shakespeare. He belongs to the rhyming school as opposed to the blank verse school of which Marlowe was the founder.

Tourneur uses lines of irregular length to an extent unknown in other authors.

Similar marks or tests can be given for every author who is not a mere imitator; but my object here is to illustrate not exhaust this subject, merely with regard to the authors who have been supposed to have written portions of plays commonly attributed to Shakespeare.

CHAPTER VI.

ON THE MANNER IN WHICH PLAYS WERE

PRESENTED.

WE shall be able to conceive the nature of our early theatrical performances most readily if we give details for the earliest house known, and then mention such alterations as were introduced in later theatres in due course. Let us imagine, then, what would be our mode of proceeding if we were visiting the Curtain in 1596 to see the performance of Romeo and Juliet. Having ascertained from the displaying of the flag on the pole on the theatre roof that exhibitions were going on, we should, if we had come from any distance, first look out for some one to care for our horses while we were in the theatre; for the Curtain stood well out of the town in Shoreditch Fields. If one of the traditional Shakespeare boys could be procured, we should of course give him the preference. The next point to determine would be which part of the house we should go to. The Pit, or "ground," was the cheapest place (Id.); but standing in the Pit is not comfortable, especially as the whole central part of the theatre is open to the sky; neither are the "groundlings" the best society for appreciating such a play as this. The twopenny Galleries, on the other hand, are not well placed for seeing the actors. Shall we then try the "Rooms" or Boxes?-the cost will be 3d. at least if we do. We should prefer if we could to go on the stage itself and take a “stool” as they do in the new private house, along with the "gallants," even at a cost of another 6d. or Is., according to the convenience of the place we can obtain. Having taken our place, let us look round before the curtains are drawn aside; the 'musics are collecting themselves in their usual station over the

"room" nearest the stage; the critics and wits are "drinking tobacco," or discussing the author, or getting their “tables” ready to make notes an emissary of Pavier or some other pirate of the time is arranging his paper to take down as much of the play in shorthand as he can, with a view to surreptitious publication; the rushes are strewn upon the stage; the inner curtain which covers the balcony where Juliet is to speak "aloft," and where the "scroyles of Angiers" flouted King John last year, is carefully drawn; the "flourishes" are sounded by the trumpets; the front curtains separate, and the play commences. As the stage is hung with black we know that a tragedy is to be performed, and that man in a long black cloak is of course the Prologue. The board on which the name of the scene is written tells us that the plot is laid in Verona and the erection over the trap, which we can see from our place in the rooms, hints that a "tomb" will be required in the fifth Act. It is hard to follow the changes of scene; we cannot help wishing that some of those mechanical devices so lavishly expended on Court pageants could be introduced here. Why should not the stage be more real? Would it lower the character of the plays by appealing too much to the groundlings behind the pales there? We have plenty of time to think on such matters while the trumpets, cornets, organs, viols, hautboys, or recorders are playing between the Acts. Another thought that will haunt us is how much will the poet get for this play? Will the profits of his "second day" be large? Twenty nobles (67. 13s. 4d.) seems a small sum for such a noble piece of work. But perhaps he will publish it himself and get something out of the sale of copies. I am ready for one with my sixpence, for I like the play. He gets something, however, as an actor, probably more than as a poet. He has shares, too, I am told, in the theatre; and when they perform at Court the Queen gives 18/ or 20%. for each performance. Perhaps he'll be rich yet if he's prudent. But the curtain is drawn; the play is over, shall I stay for the jig? I think I will. I don't care much for the clown's dancing and singing, but Kempe's a clever fellow; I'll see him for once, and "throw up a theme or two for him to extemporize on." But it's past three already; the play must have lasted more than two hours; a long performance to-day. I shall have to switch and spur to get home as I appointed.

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