ftrike the Fancy of a common and unlearned Beholder: Some Parts are made ftupendously magnificent and grand, to surprize with the vast Design and Execution of the Architect; others are contracted, to amufe you with his Neatnefs and Ele gance in little. So, in Shakespeare, we may find Traits that will stand the Teft of the feverest Judgment; and Strokes as carelefly hit off, to the Level of the more ordinary Capacities: Some Defcriptions rais'd to that Pitch of Grandeur, as to aftonish you with the Compafs and Elevation of his Thought and others copying Nature within fo narrow, fo confined a Circle, as if the Author's Talent lay only at drawing in Miniature.

In how many points of Light muft we be obliged to gaze at this great Poet! In how many Branches of Excellence to confider, and admire him! Whether we view him on the Side of Art or Nature, he ought equally to engage our Attention: Whether we refpect the Force and Greatnefs of his Genius, the Extent of his Knowledge and Reading, the Power and Addrefs with which he throws out and applies either Nature, or Learning, there is ample Scope both for our Wonder and Pleasure. If his Diction, and the cloathing of his Thoughts attract us, how much more must we be charm'd with the Richness, and Variety, of his Images and Ideas! If his Images and Ideas steal into our Souls, and ftrike upon our Fancy, how much are they improv'd in Price, when we come

to

to reflect with what Propriety and Juftness they are. apply'd to Character! If we look into his Characters, and how they are furnifh'd and proportion'd to the Employment he cuts out for them, how are we taken up with the Maftery of his Portraits! What Draughts of Nature! What Variety of Originals, and how differing each from the other! How are they drefs'd from the Stores of his own luxurious Imagination; without being the Apes of Mode, or borrowing from any foreign Wardrobe ! Each of them are the ftandards of Fashion for themselves: like Gentlemen that are above the Direction of their Tailors, and can adorn themfelves without the aid of Imitation. If other Poets draw more than one Fool or Coxcomb, there is the fame Refemblance in them, as in that Painter's Draughts, who was happy only at forming a Rofe you find them all younger Brothers of the fame Family, and all of them have a Pretence to give the fame Creft: But Shakespeare's Clowns and Fops come all of a different House: they are no farther allied to one another than as Man to Man, Members of the fame Species: but as different in Features and Lineaments of Character, as we are from one another in Face, or Complexion. But I unawares lanching into his Character

am

as a

Writer, before I have faid what I intended of
him as a private Member of the Republick.
Mr. Rowe has very juftly obferv'd, that People
are fond of discovering any little personal Story

of

of the Great Men of Antiquity: and that the common Accidents of their Lives naturally become the Subject of our critical Enquiries: That however trifling fuch a Curiofity at the first View may appear, yet, as for what relates to Men of Letters, the Knowledge of an Author may, perhaps, fometimes conduce to the better understanding his Works: And, indeed, this Author's Works, from the bad Treatment he has met with from Copyifts and Editors, have fo long wanted a Comment, that one would zealously embrace every Method of Information, that could contribute to recover them from the injuries with which they have fo long lain o'erwhelm'd.

1

'Tis certain, that if we have first admir'd the Man in his Writings, his Cafe is fo circumftanc'd, that we must

Man: Thanaturally admire the Writings in the

if we go back to take a View of his Education, and the Employment in Life which Fortune had cut out for him, we fhall retain the ftronger Ideas of his extenfive Genius.

His Father, we are told, was a confiderable Dealer in Wool; but having no fewer than ten Children, of whom our Shakespeare was the eldeft, the best Education he could afford him was no better than to qualify him for his own Bufinefs and Employment. I cannot affirm with any Certainty how long his Father liv'd; but I take him to be the fame Mr. John Shakespeare who was living in the Year 1599, and who then, in Ho

поче

nour of his Son, took out an Extract of his Family-Arms from the Herald's Office; by which it appears, that he had been Officer and Bailiff of Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire; and that he enjoy'd fome hereditary Lands and Tenements, the Reward of his Great Grandfather's faithful and approved Service to King Henry VII..

Be this as it will, our Shakespeare, it feeins, was bred for fome Time at a Free-School; the very Free-School, I prefume, founded at Stratford : where, we are told, he acquired what Latin he was Mafter of: but, that his Father being oblig'd, thro' Narrowness of Circumftance, to withdraw him too foon from thence, he was thereby unhappily prevented from making any Proficiency in the Dead Languages: A Point, that will deferve fome little Difcuffion in the Sequel of this Differtation.

How long he continued in his Father's Way of Business, either as an Affiftant to him, or on his own proper Account, no Notices are left to inform us nor have I been able to learn precifely at what Period of Life he quitted his native Stratford, and began his Acquaintance with London and the Stage.

In order to fettle in the World after a Familymanner, he thought fit, Mr. Rowe acquaints us, to marry while he was yet very young. It is certain, he did fo for by the Monument, in Stratford Church, erected to the Memory of his Daugh

ter

ter Susanna, the Wife of John Hall, Gentleman, it appears, that she died on the 2d Day of July, in the Year 1649, aged 66. So that she was born in 1583, when her Father could not be full 19 Years old; who was himself born in the Year 1564. Nor was she his eldeft Child, for he had another Daughter, Judith, who was born before her, and who was married to one Mr. Thomas Quiney. So that Shakespeare must have entred into Wedlock by that time he was turn'd of feventeen Years.

Whether the Force of Inclination merely, or fome concurring Circumstances of Convenience in the Match, prompted him to marry fo early, is not easy to be determin'd at this Distance: but 'tis probable, a View of Intereft might partly sway his Conduct in this Point; for he married the Daughther of one Hathaway, a fubftantial Yeoman in his Neighbourhood, and fhe had the Start of him in Age no less than eight Years. She furviv'd him notwithstanding, seven Seafons, and dy'd that very Year in which the Players publifh'd the firft Edition of his Works in Folio, Anno Dom. 1623, at the Age of 67 Years, as we likewife learn from her Monument in Stratford-Church.

How long he continued in this kind of Settlement, upon his own Native Spot, is not more eafily to be determin'd. But if the Tradition be true, of that Extravagance which forc'd him both to quit his Country and Way of Living; to wit, his being engag'd, with a Knot of young Deerftealers,