original. Torquatus is at Athens (just as Hamlet at Wittenberg) pursuing his studies, while his father (Manlius) is murdered at Rome by his own brother (Noron), who espouses the widow (Plaucina). Who does not here immediately recognize Claudius, Gertrude, and the murdered King, of Shakspeare? Torquatus says, too, at the commencement, 'Hast thou, O Heaven! e'er seen a wretch like me? "Yet again. The Ghost of Manlius appears to his son, and incites him to avenge his death. Torquatus feigns madness, like Hamlet. The object of his affections (Juliana) is also introduced. But the most striking point of resemblance is in the scene where the heroes of both tragedies reproach their guilty mothers. "Noron, being sore afraid of his nephew, cunningly introduces his wife (Plaucina) in a chamber where Torquatus is, after having concealed one of his counsellors under a couch, for the purpose of hearing whether he would openly avow his suspicions to his mother. Torquatus, aware of this, suddenly despatches him, and reproaches his mother for her immodesty, who, having vindicated herself, promises to be faithful.' "Here is, in fact, a repetition of the scene where Polonius, behind the arras, falls by Hamlet's sword, and the Queen suffers the taunts and upbraidings of her son. Parts of the lan guage have a striking coincidence: TORQUATUS. 6 Approach me not with thine adulterous lips; Lascivious Queen! Go-go-caress thy tyrant.' HAMLET. 'O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell, If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones, To flaming youth let virtue be as wax, And melt in her own fire.' PLAUCINA. For Heaven's sake, cease! Ah! what must I not hear? I start at mine own shadow.' GERTRUDE. 'O Hamlet! speak no more, Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul, "The catastrophe is certainly quite different. Torquatus triumphs by means of Juliana; who, however, being dishonoured by Noron, like Lucretia, destroys herself. The disastrous end of Hamlet is well known. Still the resemblance is sufficiently forcible to justify the question, whether Brandt was acquainted with Shakspeare, and, consequently, whether the knowledge of English literature, about the middle of the 17th century, was more universal than is generally supposed? We (adds Van Kampen) believe this not to have been the case, at least not when Brandt wrote this tragedy. We might more easily imagine this of Huijgens, although even he, who understood and translated some English poets of mediocrity, does not once mention the incomparable, poet of Hamlet and Macbeth." SHAKSPEARE, AND D'AVENANT. SHAKSPEARE, in his frequent journeys between London and his native place, Stratford-uponAvon, used to lie at D'Avenant's, "The Crown," in Oxford. He was very well acquainted with Mrs. D'Avenant; and her son (afterwards Sir William) was supposed to be more nearly related to him than as a godson only. One day, when Shakspeare was just arrived, and the boy sent from school to him, a head of one of the Colleges (who was pretty well acquainted with the affairs of the family) met the child running home, and asked him whither he was going in so much haste? The boy said, "To my Godfather Shakspeare."-" The child! (says the old gentleman,) why are you so superfluous? have you not learned yet that should not use the name of God in vain?” you Pope, in Spence's Anecdotes. SORTES VIRGILIANE. In the time of the late civil wars, King Charles I. was at leisure for a little diversion. A motion was made to go to the Sortes Virgiliana; that is, take a Virgil, and either with the finger, or sticking a pin, or the like, upon any verses, at a venture, and the verses touched shall declare his destiny that toucheth, which sometimes makes sport, and at other times is significant, or not, as the gamesters choose to apply. The King laid his finger on the place towards the latter end of the fourth Æneid, which contains Dido's curse to Æneas: "At bello audacis populi vexatus et armis, |