years before his death at his native Stratford. His pleafurable wit and good-nature engaged him in the ac quaintance, and entitled him to the friendship, of the gentlemen of the neighbourhood. He died on his birth-day, the 23d of April, 1616, in the 530 year of his age, and was buried on the north fide of the chancel, in the great church at Stratford, where a monument is plac'd in the wall, reprefenting him under an arch in a fitting pofture, a cushion spread before him, with a pen in his right hand, and his left rested on a scroll of paper. Beneath is the following infcription: Judicio Pylium, genio Socratem, arte Maronem, Stay, paffenger, why doft thou go so fast ? Read if thou can'ft, whom envious Death hath plac'd 'Within this monument; Shakspeare, with whom "Quick Nature dy'd, whofe name doth deck the tomb, 'Far more than coft; fince all that he hath writ, ⚫ Leaves living Art but page to ferve his wit. On his grave-ftone underneath is, ⚫ Bleft be the man that spares these ftones, He had three daughters, of which two lived to be married; Judith, the elder, to one Mr. Thomas Quincy, by whom she had three fons, who all died 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 married first to Thomas Nafh, Efq; and afterwards to Sir John Bernard, of Abington. By the former of thefe gentlemen, fhe had likewife a daughter, who married Sir Reginald Fofter, of Warwickshire, and from her is lineally defcended the prefent Nicholas Franklyn Miller, of Hide-ball, in Hertfordshire; the only remaining defcendant of our immortal author. The character of Shakspeare, as a man, is best seen in his his writings but fince Ben Jonfon has made a fort of an effay towards it in his Discoveries, I will give it in his words. "I remember the players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakspeare, that in writing (whatsoever he penned) he never blotted out a line. My anfwer had been, Would be bad blotted a thoufand! which they thought a malevolent fpeech. I had not told pofterity this, but for their ignorance, who chose that circumftance to commend their friend by, wherein he most faulted; and to juftify mine own candour; for I loved the man, and do honour his memory, on this fide idolatry, as much as any. He was, indeed, honeft, and of an open and free nature; had an excellent fancy, brave notions, and gentle expreffions; wherein he flowed with that facility, that fometimes it was neceffary he should be ftopp'd: Sufflaminandus erat, as Auguf tus faid of Haterius. His wit was in his own power: would the rule of it had been so too! Many times he fell into thofe things which could not escape laughter; as when he faid in the perfon of Cafar, one fpeaking to him, He reply'd, Cæfar thou doft me wrong," "Cæfar did never wrong, but with juft caufe;" and fuch like, which were ridiculous. But he redeemed his vices with his virtues. There was ever more in him to be praised, than to be pardoned." As an author, his character has been so often drawn by the most eminent writers of the times, that I fhall only add what Dr. Young fays of him in his Conjectures on Original Compofition," Shakspeare mingled no water with his wine, lowered his genius by no vapid imitation. Shakspeare gave us a Shakspeare, nor could the first in ancient fame have given us more. ShakSpeare is not their fon, but brother; their equal; and that in fpite of all his faults. Think you this too bold? Confider, in thofe ancients, what is it the world admires? Not the fewness of their faults, but the number and brightnefs of their beauties; and if ShakSpeare is their equal (as he doubtlefs is) in that which f in them is admired, then is Shakspeare as great as they; |