third is "The Rebellion of the Wicked Angels, and their Fall," occasioned by a violent passion conceived by Satan, for Eve. This piece was to have been performed with great pomp and solemnity; and a splendid scene, representing Heaven, had been painted; when the zealous Theologians found means to prevent the exhibition. In the works of Vondel it is printed with the title of "Lucifer."

The subject of a fourth piece, "The Destruction of Jerusalem," is one of the most extraordinary productions of an irregular genius. The title would seem to indicate that the taking of Jerusalem was the principal event in the plan. Not so, for Jerusalem is destroyed at the opening of the tragedy. It entirely consists of declamatory bombast, detailing the barbarities of the Romans, and cruelty of the Jews. Josephus pronounces a soliloquy, on which Titus comes forward, with his Centurion, Librarius, (a singular name for a Roman captain,)-merely to pay compliments to the conqueror. Titus does not even wait for the Centurion's incense, but panegyrizes himself in more than a hundred verses, to which the captain has nothing more to say, than

that the great Cæsar dwindles to nothingness before the blazing glory of Titus. Next appears a great Jewish Princess, whose name is The Daughter of Zion, followed by a great number of blubbering attendants. The conqueror turns a deaf ear to her lamentations; The Daughter of Zion conceals herself among the ruins of the great city; and, from her place of retreat, the Roman soldiers drag her forth without mercy, to heighten the triumph of the clement Titus.

At length, the poet begins to get extremely embarrassed for a denouement. The whole fifth act consists of a single scene. Simeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, who had escaped from the city, returns, sighing, to the ruins of the church. A Centurion who meets him, takes him to be a spy, but is satisfied with the declaration, that he belongs to the quiet sect of Christians. On this, an Angel makes his appearance, and to comfort the pious prelate, informs him that the destruction of Jerusalem was long before predicted by the Prophets, and was a judgment of God, for the obduracy of the Jews. After this edifying harangue, which occupies, in print, no less than

nine quarto pages, the Bishop bows, and the

curtain falls.

SUMS GIVEN FOR PLAYS.

In an old account book of Barnard Lintot's, the bookseller, the following information, respecting the prices usually paid, at that time, for the copy-rights, is gleaned. Dr. Young received for his "Busiris," 847.; Smith, for his "Phædra and Hippolitus," 50%.; Rowe, for his "Jane Shore," 50l. 15s.; and for his " Lady Jane Grey," 751. 5s.; and Cibber, for his "Nonjuror," attained 1057. Tragedies were then the most attractive dramas, and obtained the best price.

SHAKSPEARE'S TRAGEDY OF "HAMLET."

THIS play is founded on the story of Amleth, in the Danish history of Saxo Germanicus. It is to be found in Mrs. Lennox's Shakspeare Illustrated. The story has a very romantic air, abounds with improbabilities, and is such, altogether, as would have scarcely struck any imagination but Shakspeare's. Amleth, we are told, put on the guise of folly, rolled on the ground, covered his face with filth, raked the embers