PREFACE.

THE excellencies of our great Dramatic Poet are fo well known, and fo univerfally acknowledged, that it may feem unneceffary to dwell on perfections which every one confeffes, and which even Envy itself has no longer the effrontery to deny. If any author is entitled to the appellation of a Univerfal Genius, on whom can that honourable diftinction be more readily conferred, than on him, who, with the most fubtle penetration, has pierced through the dark developements of the human heart; who has painted the most beautiful fcenes of Nature; who has given life and action to Virtue inculcating the nobleft fyftem of morality, and animating mankind to tread thofe fteps which lead to the happiness of individuals, and, in confequence, to the general good of the Community?

Poetry too often is confidered as a mere relief, to fill up the vacancy of indolence, or to diffipate the languor of diffipation; and fo feldom is it employed in effecting its nobleft purposes, that the neglect of it can neither be wondered at, nor condemned. It is, however, calculated to anfwer ends more important than the gratification of idleness: the purposes of amusement are, and ought to be, only its fecondary confiderations. It has, for its ultimate object, the intereft and welfare of fociety; and, if properly directed, may be made inftrumental in enlarging the mind, extending the views; and, by fupplying materials for reflection, imperceptibly leads mankind to the knowledge and practice of virtue.

It is well obferved by the excellent Writer whose name appears in the title-page of this work, that Shakspeare was one of the greatest Moral Philofophers that ever lived; a remark which often fuggefted itself to the Collector of the prefent Volume, long before he faw it confirmed by fo refpectable an authority. The idea thus prefented to his mind, firft gave rife to a wish, that the truth of it might be exemplified in a felection of thofe obfervations on the conduct of human life, fcattered through various parts of the writings of our divine Author, digefted and arranged in that order that might be useful, as well to the learned, as the unin formed; to the fcholar, as to the novice. He thought fuch a compilation would be very generally useful; and was convinced that, in the whole circle of English literature, no author afforded so many, and fuch various obfervations on life and manners-fo much, and fuch feful knowledge of the human heart.

As the title of this volume agrees with the work of a Tate unfortunate Author, it may be neceffary to obferve, that the prefent performance was begun with different views from its predeceffor, and is conducted in a different manner. The end of the former appears to have been intended chiefly as a vehicle, to difplay the Compiler's reading, and critical talents. The prefent has no higher aims than a felection, ufeful for reference to the learned, for inftruction to the ignorant, and for information to all. The knowledge which may be derived from it, is too extenfive to be pointed out in this place; but it may be afferted, with modefty and truth, that whoever is concerned in the bufinefs of education, will find it very ferviceable, in impreffing on the memory of Youth fome of the fublimeft and most important leffons of Morality and Religion. As fuch it is offered to the attention of inftructors of both fexes, As fuch the compiler does not hesitate to fay, no perf perfon, Vinto whofe hands it may come, will meet with any d appointment.ad zagim dogbando tot bohnen16

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ACCOUNT

THIS amazing Genius, no lefs the glory of his Own Country than of Human Nature, was the fon of Mr. John Shakspeare, and was born at Stratford upon Avon, in Warwickshire, on the 23d of April, 1564. His family, as appears by the Regifter and public writings relating to that Town, were of good figure and fashion there, and are mentioned as gentlemen. His father, who was a confiderable dealer in wool, had so large a family, ten children in all, that, though he was his eldeft fon, he could give him no better education than his own employment. He had bred him, it is true, for fome time at a free-fchool, where it is probable he acquired what little learning he was mafter of : But the narrowness of his circumftances, and the want his affiftance at home, forced his father to withdraw thence, and prevented his further proficiency in languages. It has been proved to a demonftration by the learned Dr. Farmer, that, whatever imitations of the ancients we find in our Author's works, he was indebted for them to fuch tranflations as were then extant, and eafy of accefs and it is more than probable, that his want of acquaintance with the originals might rather be of fervice to him, than the contrary For, though the knowledge of 'em might have made him more correct, yet it is not improbable but that the regularity and deference for them, which would have attended that correctnefs, might have reftrained fome of that fire, impetuofity, and even beautiful extrava

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LIFE OF WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

gance which we admire in Shakspeare: and I believe we are better pleafed with thofe thoughts, altogether new and uncommon, which his own imagination fupplied him fo abundantly with, than if he had given us the most beautiful paffages out of the Greek and Latin poets, and that in the moft agreeable manner that it was poffible for a mafter of the English language to deliver them.

Upon his leaving fchool, he feems to have given entirely into that way of living which his father propofed to him; and in order to fettle in the world after a family manner, he thought fit to marry while he was yet very young His wife was the daughter of one Hathaway, faid to have been a fubftantial yeoman in the neighbourhood of Stratford. In this kind of fettlement he continued for fome time, till an extravagance that he was guilty of, forced him both out of his country and that way of living which he had taken up: and though it feemed at firft to be a blemish upon his good manners, and a misfortune to him, yet it afterwards happily proved the occafion of exerting one of the greatest geniuses that ever was known in dramatic poetry. He had, by a misfortune common enough to young fellows, fallen into ill company; and amongst them, fome that made a frequent practice of deerftealing, engaged him with them more than once in robbing a park that belonged to Sir Thomas Lucy, of Cherlecot, near Stratford. For this he was profecuted by that gentleman, as he thought, fomewhat too feverely; and in order to revenge that ill ufage, he made a ballad upon him. This, probably the firft effay of his poetry, if it be the fame preferved by Mr. Steevens, in the laft edition of this Author, is truly contemptible: It, however, redoubled the profecution against him to that degree, that he was obliged to leave his business, and family, in Warwickshire, for fome time, and fhelter himself in London.

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Tradition has informed us, that it was upon this accident he made his first acquaintance in the playhouse; and Mr. Malone, with great probability, conjectures that his introduction there, arofe from his relationship

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