Another of _Shakespeare_’s grand Touches of Nature, and which lies still deeper from the Ken of common Observation, has been taken notice of in a Note upon _The Tempest_; where _Prospero_ at once interrupts the Masque of _Spirits_, and starts into a sudden Passion and Disorder of Mind. As the latent Cause of his Emotion is there fully inquir’d into, I shall no farther dwell upon it here. Such a Conduct in a Poet (as _Shakespeare_ has manifested on many like Occasions;) where the Turn of _Action_ arises from Reflexions of his _Characters_, where the Reason of it is not express’d in Words, but drawn from the inmost Resources of Nature, shews him truly capable of that Art, which is more in Rule than Practice: _Ars est celare Artem_. ’Tis the Foible of your worser Poets to make a Parade and Ostentation of that little Science they have; and to throw it out in the most ambitious Colours. And whenever a Writer of this Class shall attempt to copy these artful Concealments of our Author, and shall either think them easy, or practised by a Writer for his Ease, he will soon be convinced of his Mistake by the Difficulty of reaching the Imitation of them. Speret idem, sudet multùm, frustráq; laboret, Ausus idem:---- Another grand Touch of Nature in our Author, (not less difficult to imitate, tho’ more obvious to the Remark of a common Reader) is, when he brings down at once any _Character_ from the Ferment and Height of Passion, makes him correct himself for the unruly Disposition, and fall into Reflexions of a sober and moral Tenour. An exquisite fine Instance of this Kind occurs in _Lear_, where that old King, hasty and intemperate in his Passions, coming to his Son and Daughter _Cornwall_, is told by the Earl of _Gloucester_ that they are not to be spoken with: and thereupon throws himself into a Rage, supposing the Excuse of Sickness and Weariness in them to be a purpos’d Contempt: _Gloucester_ begs him to think of the fiery and unremoveable Quality of the Duke: and This, which was design’d to qualify his Passion, serves to exaggerate the Transports of it. As the Conduct of Prince _Henry_ in the first Instance, the secret and mental Reflexions in the Case of _Prospero_, and the instant Detour of _Lear_ from the Violence of Rage to a Temper of Reasoning, do so much Honour to that surprizing Knowledge of human Nature, which is certainly our Author’s Masterpiece, I thought, they could not be set in too good a Light. Indeed, to point out, and exclaim upon, all the Beauties of _Shakespeare_, as they come singly in Review, would be as insipid, as endless; as tedious, as unnecessary: But the Explanation of those Beauties, that are less obvious to common Readers, and whose Illustration depends on the Rules of just Criticism, and an exact Knowledge of human Life, should deservedly have a Share in a general Critic upon the Author. [Sidenote*: Mr. _Addison_ and _He_ compared, on a similar Topick.]