ut the year 1614.

[Footnote 1: The late Mr. C. Bullock, a comedian, and some time
manager of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields theatre, _made_ a play from that
piece.]

* * * * *

WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.

There have been some ages in which providence seemed pleased in a
most remarkable manner to display it self, in giving to the world the
finest genius's to illuminate a people formerly barbarous. After a
long night of Gothic ignorance, after many ages of priestcraft and
superstition, learning and genius visited our Island in the days of
the renowned Queen Elizabeth. It was then that liberty began to dawn,
and the people having shook off the restraints of priestly austerity,
presumed to think for themselves. At an AEra so remarkable as this, so
famous in history, it seems no wonder that the nation would be blessed
with those immortal ornaments of wit and learning, who all conspired
at once to make it famous.----This astonishing genius, seemed to be
commissioned from above, to deliver us not only from the ignorance
under which we laboured as to poetry, but to carry poetry almost to
its perfection. But to write a panegyric on Shakespear appears as
unnecessary, as the attempt would be vain; for whoever has any taste
for what is great, terrible, or tender, may meet with the amplest
gratification in Shakespear; as may those also have a taste for
drollery and true humour. His genius was almost boundless, and he
succeeded alike in every part of writing. I cannot forbear giving the
character of Shakespear in the words of a great genius, in a prologue
spoken by Mr. Garrick when he first opened Drury-lane house as
Manager.

When learning's triumph o'er her barb'rous foes,
First rear'd the stage;----immortal Shakespear rose,
Each change of many-coloured life he drew,
Exhausted worlds, and then imagined new,
Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign,
And panting time toiled after him, in vain.

All men have discovered a curiosity to know the little stories and
particularities of a great genius; for it often happens, that when
we attend a man to his closet, and watch his moments of solitude, we
shall find such expressions drop from him, or we may observe such
instances of peculiar conduct, as will let us more into his real
character, than ever we can discover while we converse with him in
public, and when perhaps he appears under a kind of mask. There are
but few things known of this great man;