’2.  Pericles, prince of Tyre.  This piece was acknowledged by Dryden, but as a youthful work of Shakespeare.  It is most undoubtedly his, and it has been admitted into several of the late editions.  The supposed imperfections originate in the circumstance, that Shakespeare here handled a childish and extravagant romance of the old poet Gower, and was unwilling to drag the subject out of its proper sphere.  Hence he even introduces Gower himself, and makes him deliver a prologue entirely in his antiquated language and versification.  This power of assuming so foreign a manner is at least no proof of helplessness.

’3.  The London prodigal.  If we are not mistaken, Lessing pronounced this piece to be Shakespeare’s, and wished to bring it on the German stage.

’4.  The Puritan; or, the widow of Watling street.  One of my literary friends, intimately acquainted with Shakespeare, was of opinion that the poet must have wished to write a play for once in the style of Ben Jonson, and that in this way we must account for the difference between the present piece and his usual manner.  To follow out this idea, however, would lead to a very nice critical investigation.

’5.  Thomas, lord Cromwell.

’6.  Sir John Oldcastle—­first part.

’7.  A Yorkshire tragedy.

’The three last pieces are not only unquestionably Shakespeare’s, but in my opinion they deserve to be classed among his best and maturest works.  Steevens admits at last, in some degree, that they are Shakespeare’s, as well as the others, excepting LOCRINE, but he speaks of all of them with great contempt, as quite worthless productions.  This condemnatory sentence is not, however, in the slightest degree convincing, nor is it supported by critical acumen.  I should like to see how such a critic would, of his own natural suggestion, have decided on Shakespeare’s acknowledged masterpieces, and what he would have thought of praising in them, had the public opinion imposed on him the duty of admiration.  Thomas, lord Cromwell, and sir John Oldcastle, are biographical dramas, and models in this species:  the first is linked, from its subject, to Henry the eighth, and the second to Henry the fifth.  The second part of Oldcastle is wanting; I know not whether a copy of the old edition has been discovered in England, or whether it is lost.  The Yorkshire tragedy is a tragedy in one act, a dramatized tale of murder:  the tragical effect is overpowering, and it is extremely important to see how poetically Shakespeare could handle such a subject.