Therefore Mecænas, that great fav’rite rais’d
Him high, and by him was he highly prais’d.
Our Shakespeare wrote, too, in an age as blest,
The happiest poet of his time, and best;
A gracious Prince’s favour cheer’d his muse,
A constant favour he ne’er fear’d to lose.
Therefore he wrote with fancy unconfin’d,
And thoughts that were immortal as his mind;
And from the crop of his luxuriant pen
E’er since succeeding poets humbly glean.