Shakspeare and His Times [Vol. 2 of 2] / Including the Biography of the Poet; criticisms on his genius and writings; a new chronology of his plays; a disquisition on the on the object of his sonnets; and a history of the manners, customs, and amusements, superstitions, poetry, and elegant literature of his age

by Nathan Drake

Having thus, satisfactorily as we think, not only removed the objection but strikingly corroborated the argument through the medium of our defence, we shall select a few passages from these initiatory

sonnets in order still further to show the masculine nature of their object, and to give a specimen of the poet's expostulatory freedom:—

"—— Where is she so fair, whose un-ear'd womb

Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?

Or who is he so fond, will be the tomb

Of his self-love, to stop posterity."

Sonnet 3.

"—— thou — — — —

Unlook'd on diest, unless thou get a son."

Son. 7.