HE Attempt to write upon SHAKESPEARE is like going into a large, a spacious, and a splendid Dome thro' the Conveyance of a narrow and obfcure Entry. A Glare of Light fuddenly breaks upon you, beyond what the Avenue at first promis'd: and a thousand Beauties of Genius and Character, like so many gaudy Apartments pouring at once upon the Eye, diffufe and throw themselves out to the Mind. The Profpect is too wide to come within the Compass of a fingle View: 'tis a gay Confusion of pleasing Objects, too various to be enjoyed but in a general Admiration; and they must be separated, and ey'd distinctly, in order to give the proper Entertainment.

And as in great Piles of Building, fome Parts are often finish'd up to hit the Taste of the Connoiffeur; others more negligently put together, to strike the Fancy of a common and

2

A Sketch

speare's

and unlearned Beholder: Some Parts are made stupendioufly magnificent and grand, to surprize with the vast Design and Execution of the Architect; others are contracted, to amuse you with his Neatness and Elegance in

little. So, in Shakespeare, we may find Traits of Shake- that will stand the Test of the severest Judggeneral ment; and Strokes as carelefly hit off, to the Character. Level of the more ordinary Capacities: Some Descriptions rais'd to that Pitch of Grandeur, as to aftonish you with the Compass and Elevation of his Thought: and others copying Nature within so narrow, so confined a Circle, as if the Author's Talent lay only at drawing in Miniature.

In how many Points of Light must we be oblig'd 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 respect the Force and Greatness of his Genius, the Extent of his Knowledge and Reading, the Power and Address 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 strike upon our Fancy, how much are they improy'd in Price, when we come to reflect with what Propriety and Justness they are apply'd to Character! If we look into his Characters, and how they are furnish'd and proportion'd to the Employment he cuts out for them, how are we taken up with the Mastery of his Portraits! What Draughts of Nature! What Variety of Originals, and how differing each from the other! How are they dress'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 Standards of Fashion for themselves: like Gentlemen that are above the Direction of their Tailors, and can adorn themselves without the Aid of Imitation. If other Poets draw more than one Fool or Coxcomb, there is the fame Resemblance in them, as in that Painter's Draughts, who was happy only at forming a Rose: you find them all younger Brothers of the fame Family, and all of them have a Pretence to give the same 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 am unawares launching into his Character as a Writer, before I have faid what I intended of him as a private Member of the Republick. hirin

Mr

Some Par-

Mr. Rowe has very justly observ'd, that
ticulars of People are fond of discovering any little per-
vate Life. sonal Story of the Great Men of Antiquity:

bis pri-

and that the common Accidents of their Lives
naturally become the Subject of our critical
Enquiries: That however trifling such a Cu-
riofity at the first View may appear, yet, as
for what relates to Men of Letters, the Know-
ledge of an Author may, perhaps, sometimes
conduce to the better understanding his Works:
And, indeed, this Author's Works, from the
bad Treatment he has met with from his E-
ditors, have so long wanted a Comment, that
one would zealously embrace every Method
of Information, that could contribute to re-
cover them from the Injuries with which
they have fo long lain o'erwhelm'd.

'Tis certain, that if we have first admir'd
the Man in his Writings, his Case is so cir-
cumstanc'd, that we must naturally admire
the Writings in the Man: That if we go
back to take a View of his Education, and
the Employment in Life which Fortune had
cut out for him, we shall retain the stronger
Ideas of his extensive 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 eldest, the best Education he could afford
him was no better than to qualify him for
his own Business and Employment. I can-
not affirm with any Certainty how long his
Father