And now, gentlemen,
Pax vobiscum! as the ass said to the cabbages!
And we might add, as an ass only should say.
In fact, throughout "The Spanish Student," as well as throughout
other compositions of its author, there runs a very obvious vein of
imitation. We are perpetually reminded of something we have seen
before- some old acquaintance in manner or matter, and even where
the similarity cannot be said to amount to plagiarism, it is still
injurious to the poet in the good opinion of him who reads.
Among the minor defects of the play, we may mention the frequent
allusion to book incidents not generally known, and requiring each a
Note by way of explanation. The drama demands that everything be so
instantaneously evident that he who runs may read; and the only
impression effected by these Notes to a play is, that the author is
desirous of showing his reading.
We may mention, also, occasional tautologies, such as:-
Never did I behold thee so attired
And garmented in beauty as to-night!
Or-
What we need
Is the celestial fire to change the fruit
Into transparent crystal, bright and clear!
We may speak, too, of more than occasional errors of grammar. For
example:-
"Did no one see thee? None, my love, but thou.
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