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In the next place, unfortunately, there is neither such a character as a Constable in the Midsummer-Night's Dream: nor was the three hundred pounds legacy to a sister, but a daughter.

And to close the whole, it is not possible, according to Aubrey himself, that Shakspere could have been

poet, 1570; but when or where he died, I cannot tell, for so it is, and always hath been, that most POETS die poor, and consequently obscurely, and a hard matter it is to trace them to their graves. Claruit 1599." Ath. Oxon. vol. I. p. 300.

We had lately in a periodical pamphlet, called, The Theatrical Review, a very curious letter under the name of George Peele, to one Master Henrie Marle; relative to a dispute between Shakspere and Alleyn, which was compromised by Ben Jonson.-" I never longed for thy companye more than last night; we were áll verie merrie at the Globe, when Ned Alleyn did not scruple to affyrme plesauntly to thy friende Will, that he had stolen hys speeche about the excellencie of acting in Hamlet hys tragedye, from conversaytions manifold, whych had passed between them, and opinions gyven by Alleyn touchyng that subjecte. Shakspere did not take this talk in good Borte: but Jonson did put an end to the stryfe wyth wittelie saying, thys affaire needeth no contentione: you stole it from Ned, no doubte: do not marvel: haue you not seene hym acte tymes oute of number?"-This is pretended to be printed from the original MS. dated 1600; which agrees well enough with Wood's Claruit: but unluckily, Peele was dead at least two years before. "As Anacreon died by the pot, says Meres, so George Peele by the pox.” Wit's Treasury, 1598, p. 286.

some

some years a School-Master in the country: on which circumstance only the supposition of his learning is professedly founded. He was not surely very young,

when he was employed to kill calves, and he commenced player about eighteen !—The truth is, that he left his father, for a wife, a year sooner; and had at least two children born at Stratford before he retired from thence to London. It is therefore sufficiently clear, that poor Anthony had too much reason for his character of Aubrey: we find it in his own account of his life, published by Hearne, which I would earnestly recommend to any hypochondriack:

"A pretender to antiquities, roving, magotieheaded, and sometimes little better than crased: and being exceedingly credulous, would stuff his many letters sent to A. W. with folliries and misinformations." p. 577.

FARMER.

SOME

SOME ACCOUNT of the LIFE, &c.

O F

WILLIAM SHAKSPERE.

Written by Mr. ROWE.

Ir seems to be a kind of respect due to the memory of excellent men, especially of those whom their wit and learning have made famous, to deliver some account of themselves, as well as their works, to posterity. For this reason, how fond do we see some people of discovering any little personal story of the great men of antiquity! their families, the common incidents of their lives, and even their shape, make, and features, have been the subject of critical inquiries. How trifling soever this curiosity may seem to be, it is certainly very natural; and we are hardly satisfied with an account of any remarkable person, till we have heard him described even to the very clothes he wears. As for what relates to men of letters, the knowledge of an author may sometimes conduce to the better understanding his book; and though

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