ical pictures, as a cluster of
      images suggestive alike to the imagination and the feelings,
      as a cabinet of jewels whose lustre dazzles the eye and
      blinds it to the unskilful setting,--in this light there are
      few pieces comparable to the magnificent scene before the
      temples, where the lady and her lovers pray to the gods: and
      the pathetically solemn close of the drama, admirable in
      itself, loses only when we compare it with the death of
      Arcite in Chaucer's masterpiece, 'the Iliad of the middle
      ages.'"

All this does but show how well-founded was the judgment which that
sound scholar and able Shaksperian critic, Prof. Ingram,[ix:1] expresst
in our _Transactions_ for 1874, p. 454. My own words on pages 73,
64*,--written after short acquaintance with the play, and under stress
of Prof. Spalding's and Mr Hickson's able Papers, and the metrical
evidence--were incautiously strong. In modifying them now, I do but
follow the example of Prof. Spalding himself. Little as my opinion may
be worth, I wish to say that I think the metrical and aesthetic evidence
are conclusive as to there being two hands in the play. I do not think
the evidence that Shakspere wrote all the parts that either Prof.
Spalding or Mr Hickson assigns to him, at all conclusive. If it could be
shown that Beaumont[ix:2] or any other author wrote the suppos'd
Shakspere parts, and that Shakspere toucht them up, that theory would
suit me best. It failing, I accept, for the time, Shakspere as the
second author, subject to Fletcher having spoilt parts of his conception
and work.

The following scheme shows where Prof. Spalding and Mr Hickson agree,
and where they differ:--

  Prologue                                        | FLETCHER (Littledale).
                                                  |
  Act I. sc. i.    SHAKSPERE. Spalding, Hickson   |
                   (Bridal Song not Sh.'s:        |
                   Dowden, Nicholson, Littledale, |
                   Furnivall[x:1]).               |
   