WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.
This eminent Poet, the Glory of the English Stage (and so much the more eminent, that he gained great applause and commendation, when able Wits were his Contemporaries) was born at Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, and is the highest honour that Town can boast of. He was one of the Triumvirate, who from Actors, became Makers of Comedies and Tragedies, viz. Christopher Marlow before him, and Mr. John Lacy, since his time, and one in whom three eminent Poets may seem in some sort to be compounded, 1. Martial, in the warlike sound of his Sirname, Hastivibrans, or Shakespear; whence some have supposed him of military extraction. 2. Ovid, the most natural and witty of all Poets; and hence it was that Queen Elizabeth coming into a Grammar-School, made this extemporary Verse.
Persius a Crab-staff, Bawdy Martial, Ovid a fine Wag.
3. Plautus, a most exact Comedian, and yet never any Scholar, as our Shakespear (if alive) would confess himself; but by keeping company with Learned persons, and conversing with jocular Wits, whereto he was naturally inclin'd, he became so famously witty, or wittily famous, that by his own industry, without the help of Learning, he attained to an extraordinary height in all strains of Dramatick Poetry, especially in the Comick part, wherein we may say he outwent himself; yet was he not so much given to Festivity, but that he could (when so disposed) be solemn and serious; so that Heraclitus himself might afford to smile at his Comedies, they were so merry, and Democritus scarce forbear to sigh at his Tragedies, they were so mournful.
Nor were his Studies altogether confined to the Stage, but had excursions into other kinds of Poetry, witness his Poem of the Rape of Lucrece, and that of Venus and Adonis; wherein, to give you a taste of the loftiness of his Style, we shall insert some few Lines of the beginning of the latter.
Even as the Sun with purple-colour'd face
Had tane his last leave of the weeping Morn,
Rose-cheek'd Adonis hy'd him to the Chase,
Hunting he lov'd, but Love he laught to scorn.