fancied he intended to write his epitaph if he happened to outlive him, and since he could not know what might be said of him when he was dead, he desired it might be done immediately; upon which Shakspeare gave him these four lines :

Ten in the hundred lies here engravid,
'Tis a hundred to ten his soul is not sav'd;
If any man ask, who lies in this tomb?

Oh! ho ! quoth the Devil, 'tis my JOHN A COMBE ! The sharpness of the satire so stung the man, that it is said he never forgave it." Dr. Drake, anxious for the character of Shakspeare, questions the truth of it as happening in Combe's life time; and is of opinion, upon the authority of Aubrey, that the lines were not written till the interment.

The editions of SHAKSPEARE's works have been numerous, and endless is the list of commentators upon them. Near one hundred publications, (according to the diligent and accurate Mr. John Britton) have issued from the press, for the elucidation of his writings in the course of the last century. It may be said of the writings of our IMMORTAL BARD, as Goldsmith remarked of the Sacred Writings: COMMON SENSE is the best interpreter of them. The first collection of Shakspeare's drarnatic productions appeared in 1623, made by Hemynge and Condell, both of the histrionic profession. A second edition was given in 1632, a third in 1664, and a fourth in 1685; and these are usually called the ancient editions. The

more modern impressions commence with Rowe, in 1709, and also in 1714. In 1725, Pope put forth his edition, and another in 1728. Theobald produced his edition in 1733, and another in 1740. Sir Thomas Hanmer published his edition in 1744; and Warburton in 1747. Johnson in 1765. Steevens in 1766. Capell in 1768. Johnson and Steevens in 1773. Reed in 1785. Bell in 1788. Malone in 1790, and Rann in 1790. These are the principal editions, beside inferior -impressions in constant circulation. The Prefaces by Rowe, Pope, WARBURTON, and JOHNSon, which are all given in Bell's neat pocket edition, are masterpieces of eloquent composition. The most splendid of all the editions is that of BOYDELL, published in nine volumes, embellished with one hundred engravings! It reflected an honour upon the British nation, forming a kind of Splendid Mausoleum raised by the Fine Arts to our great Bard's memory.

Nor must we forget to mention that SHAKSPEARE's Works have appeared under the title of The Family Shakspeare; in which nothing is added to the original text: but those words and expressions are omitted which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family, by Thomas Bowdler, Esq. F. R. S. and S. A. “My great objects in this un. dertaking,” says the Editor,“ are to remove from the writings of SHAKSPEARE some defects which diminish their value; and at the same time to pre.

sent to the public an EDITION of his Plays, which the parent, the guardian, and the instructor of youth, may place without fear in the hands of the pupil; and from which the pupil may derive instruction, as well as pleasure: may improve his moral principles, while he refines his taste; and without incurring the danger of being hurt with any indelicacy of expression, may learn in the fate of Macbeth, that even a kingdom is dearly purchased, if VIRTUE be the price of the acquisition!"

But the largest production has recently been published for the elucidation of Shakspeare's works, entitled "SHAKSPEARE and his TIMES: including the Biography of the Poet; Criticisms on his Genius and Writings; a New Chronology of his Plays; a Disquisition on the Object of his Sonnets; and a History of the Manners, Customs, and Amusements, Superstitions, Poetry, and Elegant Literature of his Age. By NATHAN DRAKE, M. D. Author of Literary Hours, and of Essays on Periodical Literature. Two Quarto Volumes. With a portrait of Shakspeare, engraved after a cast from the monumental Bust at Stratford."

The WORK is distributed into three parts, with these titles: Shakspeare in Stratford, Shakspeare in London, Shakspeare in Retirement. These are subdivided into chapters, illuminating the Age and Period of THE BARD, by concentrating into one focus every thing of interest in his history. The

writer remarks in the conclusion of his preface: " How far the author is qualified for the due execution of his design, remains for the public to decide; but it may without ostentation be told, that his leisure, for the last thirty years, has been, in a great degree, devoted to a line of study immediately associated with the subject, and that his attachment to OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE has led him to a familiarity with the only sources from which, on such a topic, authentic illustration is to be derived."

Dr. Drake furnishes us with this specific chạracter of Shakspeare's DRAMATICAL COMPOSI

TIONS:

"To unity of action, the indispensable requisite of every well-constituted fable, SHAKSPEARE has added, what in him is found more perfect than in any other writer, unity of feeling; as applicable not only to individual character, but to the pre-. vailing tone and influence of each play. Thus, while it must be confessed that the former is, in a few instances, broken in upon by the admission of extraneous personages or occurrences, in no respect is the latter, throughout the whole range of his productions, forgotten or violated. It is to this sedulous attention in the preservation of unity of feeling, that SHAKSPEARE owes much of his fascination, and powers of impression, over the hearts and minds of his audience. It has been duly panegyrised by the critics with respect to his

delineation of character, but as referable to the expression and effect of an entire drama, it has been too much overlooked. What, for example, can be more distinct than the tone of feeling that pervades every portion of Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth; and how consistently is this tone throughout each! Through the first, from its opening to its close, breathe the freshness and fragrance of youth and spring--their sweetness, their innocency, and alas! their transiency. While in the second, a tempest of more than midnight horror, and the still more turbulent strife of human vice and passion, howl for ever in our ears! Again, how delightful is the tender and philosophic melancholy which steals upon us in every scene of As You Like It and how contrasted with the bustle and vivacity, the light and effervescent wit, which animate and sparkle in the dialogue of Much Ado About Nothing! We consider this unity by which the separate parts of a drama are rendered so strictly subservient to a single and common object; namely, the production of a combined and uniform impression, as one of the most remarkable proofs of the depth and comprehensiveness of the mind of SHAKSPEARE."'*

And as to particular excellence in the delineation

* Romeo and Juliet was the first play I ever saw when a mere boy in the country; and though I had no knowledge whatever of the story, yet so well managed are all the scenes of SHAKSPEARE, that it made an indelible impression on my memory!