Judicio Pylium, Genio Socratem, Terra tegit. Populus mæret, P: 37, in the a Monument, as engrav'd in the Plate, is plac'd in the Wall. On his Grave-Stone underneath is, Good Friend, for Jefus fake, forbear Bleft be the Man that spares these Stones, He had three Daughters, of which two liv'd to be marry'd; Judith, the Elder, to one Mr. Thomas Quiney, by whom he had three Sons, who all dy'd without Children ; and Sufannah, who was his Favourite, to Dr. John Hall, a Physician of good Reputation in that Country. She left one Child only, a Daughter, who was marry'd first to Thomas Nash, Efq; and afterwards to Sir John Bernard of Abbington, but dy'd likewife without Iffue. This is what I could learn of any Note, either relating to himself or Family: The Character of the Man is beft feen in his Writings. But fince Ben Johnson has made a fort of an Effay towards it in his Discoveries, tho', as I have before hinted, he was not very Cordial in his Friendship, I will venture to give it in his Words. "I remember the Players have often men❝tion'd it as an Honour to Shakespear, that in Writing (whatsoever he penn’d) he never "blotted out a Line. My Answer hath been, "Would be bad blotted a thousand, which they thought a malevolent Speech. I had "not told Pofterity this, but for their Igno66 rance, who chose that Circumstance to com"mend their Friend by, wherein he most "faulted. And to juftifie mine own Candor, "(for I lov'd the Man, and do honour his "Memory, on this fide Idolatry, as much as "any.) He was, indeed, Honest, and of an open and free Nature, had an Excellent Fancy, brave Notions, and gentle Expreffi"ons; wherein he flow'd with that Facility, "that fometimes it was neceffary he should be ftopp'd: Sufflaminandus erat,as Augustus said "of Haterius. His Wit was in his own Powwould the Rule of it had been fo too. cr 66 er, Many times he fell into those things could "not escape Laughter; as when he said in the "Person of Cæfar, one speaking to him, « Cæfar thou doft me Wrong. "He reply'd: “ Cæfar did never Wrong, but with just Cause. " and "and fuch like, which were ridiculous. But "he redeem'd his Vices with his Virtues. "There was ever more in him to be Prais'd "than to be Pardon'd. As for the Paffage which he mentions out of Shakespear, there is somewhat like it in Julius Cafar, Vol. V. p. 2260. but without the Absur dity; nor did I ever meet with it in any Edition that I have feen, as quoted by Mr. Johnfon. Befides his Plays in this Edition, there are two or three afcrib'd to him by Mr. Langbain, which I have never seen, and know nothing of. He writ likewise, Venus and Adonis, and Tarquin and Lucrece, in Stanza's, which have been printed in a late Collection of Poems. As to the Character given of him by Ben Johnson, there is a good deal true in it: But I believe it may be as well exprefs'd by what Horace fays of the first Romans, who wrote Tragedy upon the Greek Models, (or indeed tranflated 'em) in his Epistle to Auguftus. Naturâ fublimis & Acer Nam pirat Tragicum fatis & fæliciter Audet, Sed turpem putat in Chartis metuitq; Lituram. There |