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TIBBVBA

ORK

THE

BRITISH PLUTARCH.

THE LIFE OF

WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.

T

HERE have been fome ages in which Providence feemed pleased, in a most remarkable manner, to difplay itfelf, in giving to the world the finest geniuses to illuminate a people formerly barbarous. After a long night of Gothic ignorance, after many ages of prieftcraft and fuperftition, learning and genius vifited our island in the days of the renowned Elizabeth. It was then that liberty began to dawn, and the people, having fhook off the restraints of priestly aufterity, prefumed to think for themselves.

VOL. V.

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At an æra fo remarkable as this, fo famous in hiftory, it seems no wonder that the nation fhould be bleffed with thofe immortal ornaments of wit and learning, who all confpired at once to make it famous,

This aftonishing genius, feemed to be commiffioned from above, to deliver us not only from the ignorance under which we laboured as to poetry, but to carry poetry almoft to its perfection. But to write a panegyric on Shakespear, appears as unneceffary as the attempt would be vain; for whoever has any tatte for what is great, terrible, or tender, may meet with the ampieft gratification in Shakespear; as may thofe alfo who have a tafte for drollery and true humour. His genius was almoft boundless; and he fucceeded alike in every part of writing.

I cannot forbear giving the character of Shakespear in the words of a great genius, in a Prologue fpoken by Mr. Garrick when he first opened Drury-lane house as manager.

When Learning's triumph o'er her barb'rous foes

First trod the ftage, -immortal Shakespear rofe:

Each change of many-colour'd life he drew ; Exhaufted worlds, and then imagin'd new; Existence faw him fpurn her bounded reign, And panting Time toil'd after him in vain.

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All men have discovered a curiofity to know the little ftories and particularities of a great genius, for it often happens, that, when we attend a man to his closet, and watch his mo ments of folitude, we fhall find fuch expreffions drop from him, or we may obferve fuch inftances of peculiar conduct, as will let us more into his real character, than ever we can discover while we converfe with him in public, and when, perhaps, he appears under a kind of mask.

There are but few things known of this great man; few incidents of his life have defcended to pofterity; and, though, no doubt, the fame of his abilities made a great noife in the age in which he flourished, yet his station was not fuch as to produce many incidents, as it was fubject but to few viciffitudes. Mr. Rowe, who well understood, and greatly admired, Shakespear, has been at pains to collect what incidents were known, or were to be found, concerning him; and it is chiefly upon Mr. Rowe's authority we build the account now given.

Our author was the fon of John Shakespear," and was born at Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, in April, 1564, as it appears by the public records relating to that town. The family from which he is defcended was of good figure and fashion there; and are mentioned as gentlemen. His father, who was a confiderable dealer in wool, being encumbered with a large family of ten children, could af

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ford to give his eldest fon but a flender education. He had bred him at a free-school, where he acquired what Latin he was mafter of; but how well he understood that language; or whether, after his leaving the fchool, he made a greater proficiency in it, has been difputed, and is a point very difficult to fettle. However, it is certain, that Mr. John Shakespear, our author's father, was obliged to withdraw him early from school, in order to have his affistance in his own employment towards fupporting the rest of the family.

"It is without controverfy," fays Rowe, "that in his works we fcarce find any traces that look like an imitation of the antients. The delicacy of his tafte, and the natural bent of his own genius, equal, if not fuperior, to fome of the beft of theirs, would certainly have led him to read and ftudy them with fo much pleasure, that fome of their fine images would naturally have infinuated themselves into, and been mixed with, his own writings; fo that his not copying at least something from them, may be an argument of his never having read them. Whether his ignorance of the ancients was difadvantageous to him or no, may admit of difpute; for, though the knowledge of them might have made him more correct, yet it is not improbable, but the regularity and deference for them which would have attended that corre&nefs, might have restrained

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