a Monument, as engrav'd in the Plate, is plac'd in the Wall. On his Grave-Stone underneath is, تنان Good Friend, for Jefus fake, forbear To dig the Duft inclofed here, Bleft be the Man that spares thefe Stones, He had three Daughters, of which two liv'd to be marry'd; Judith, the Elder, to one Mr. Thomas Quiney, by whom she had three Sons, who all dy'd without Children; and Sufannah, who was his Favourite, to Dr. John Hall, a Phyfician of good Reputation in that Country. She left one Child only, a Daughter, who was marry'd first to Thomas Nah, Efq; and afterwards to Sir John Bernard of Abbington, but dy'd likewife without Iffue. This is what I could learn of any Note, either relating to himself or Family: The Character of the Man is best seen in his Writings. But fince Ben Johnson has made a fort of an Effay towards it in his Discoveries, tho', as I have before hinted, he was not very Cordial in his Friendship, I will venture to give it in his Words, "I remember the Players have often men-❝tion'd it as an Honour to Shakespear, that in Writing (whatsoever he penn'd) he never "blotted out a Line. My Anfwer hath been, "Would be bad blotted a thousand, which they thought a malevolent Speech. I had "not told Pofterity this, but for their Ignorance, who chofe that Circumftance to com"mend their Friend by, wherein he most faulted. And to juftifie mine own Candor, " (for I lov'd the Man, and do honour his "Memory, on this fide Idolatry, as much as "any.) He was, indeed, Honeft, and of an હદ open and free Nature, had an Excellent Fancy, brave Notions, and gentle Expreffi"ons; wherein he flow'd with that Facility, "that fometimes it was neceffary he should be "ftopp'd: Sufflaminandus erat, as Auguftus faid " of Haterius. His Wit was in his own Pow"er, would the Rule of it had been fo too. Many times he fell into thofe things could "not escape Laughter; as when he faid in the "Person of Cafar, one speaking to him, « Cæfar did never Wrong, but with just Cause. " and and fuch like, which were ridiculous. But "he redeem'd his Mices with his Virtues : There was ever more in him to be Prais'd than to be Pardon'd, d As for the Paffage which he mentions out of Shakespeans there is fomewhat like it in Julius Cafar, Viol: Vps2260 but without the Abfurdity; nor did I ever meet with it in any Edition that I have feen, as quoted by Mr. Johnfon. Befides his Plays in this Edition, there are two or three afcrib'd to him by Mr. Langbain, which I have never feen, and know nothing of He writ likewife, Venus and Adonis, and Tarquin and Lucrece, in Stanza's, which have been printed in a late Collection of Poems. As to the Character given of him by Ben Johnson, there is a good deal true in it: But I believe it may be as well express'd by what Horace fays of the first Romans, who wrote Tragedy upon the Greek Models, (or indeed tranflated 'em) in his Epistle to Auguftus. D Natyra fublimis & Acer Nam Spirat Tragicam fatis fæliciter Audet, Sed turpem putat in Chartis metuitq; Lituram. There There is a Book of Poems, publish'd in 1640, under the Name of Mr. William Shakespear, but as I have but very lately feen it, without an Opportunity of making any Judgment upon it, I won't pretend to determine, whether it be his or no. THE |