Mrs. MONTAGUE, in a letter dated September 3, 1775, replies: “I wish much to see the verses on the pretty incident of the Dove's alighting on Shakspeare's statue ! Of whatever nature and disposition the animal had been, he might have been presented as a symbol of SHAKSPEARE. The gravity and deep thought of the bird of wisdom, the sublime flight of the eagle to the starry regions and the throne of Jove, the pensive song of the nightingale when she shuns the noise of folly, and soothes the midnight visionary; the pert jackdaw, that faithfully repeats the chit chat of the market, or the shop; the skylark, that soaring, seems to sing to the denizens of the air, and set her music to the tone of beings of another region; would all assort with the genius of UNIVERSAL SHAKSPEARE."

To these remarks, Dr. Beattie, in a letter dated 17th of September, 1775, observes: “I have not yet seen the verses on SHAKSPEARE and the dove ! One thing I am certain of, which is, that they will not contain so much to the purpose, or so elegant, as what

you have said on the occasion in prose. You justly remark, that any bird of character, from the eagle to the skylark, from the owl to the mock bird, might symbolize with one or other of the attributes of that universal Genius! But do not you think that his dove-like qualities are among those on which he now reflects with peculiar complacency? And I think it could be shown from many things in his writings, that he resembled the

dove as much as the EAGLE. There are no surly fellows among his favourite characters, and he seems to excel himself in the delineation of a good natured one. Witness his Brutus, who is indeed finished con amore; and who, in gentleness of nature, exceeds even the Brutus of the good natured Plutarch, as this last exceeded by many degrees, (if we are to believe some credible historians) the true original Brutus who fell at Philippi. There are besides, in the writings of SHAKSPEARE, innumerable passages that bespeak a mind peculiarly attentive to the rights of humanity, and to the feelings of animal nature. LEAR, when his distress is at the highest, sympathises with those, who, amidst the pinchings of want and nakedness, are exposed to the tempestuous elements! I need not put you in mind of the poor sequestered stag in "As you Like It," nor need I say more on a subject with which you are much better acquainted.”

It may be here just added for the sake of the young reader, that Mrs. Montague was an intelligent and benevolent lady, well known for her defence of SHAKSPEARE against the flippancy of Voltaire: and that Dr. James Beattie holds a high reputation for science and poetry, in the Republic of Letters. Such persons could not speak of the subject of this memoir otherwise than in strains of the warmest admiration.

Of the likeness of Shakspeare, THE Bust attached to his MONUMENT at Stratford has been deemed

the best representation of him, though there is a difference of opinion on the subject. Mr. BRITTON, however, denominates it was a family record; as a memorial raised by the affection and esteem of his relatives to keep alive contemporary admiration, and to excite the glow of enthusiasm in posterity." He then gives this interesting description of it: "The Bust is the size of life; it is formed out of a block of soft stone, and was originally painted over in imitation of nature. The hands and face were of flesh colour, the eyes of a light hazel, and the hair and beard auburn; the doublet or coat was scarlet, and covered with a loose black gown, or tabard without sleeves: the upper part of the cushion was green, the under half crimson, and the tassels gilt. Such appear to have been the original features of this important but neglected or insulted bust. After remaining in this state above one hundred and twenty years, Mr. John Ward, grandfather to Mrs. Siddons and Mr. Kemble, caused it to be repaired, and the original colours preserved, in 1748, from the profits of the representation of Othello. This was a generous and apparently judicious act, and therefore very unlike the next alteration it was subjected to in 1793. In that year Mr. Malone caused THE Bust to be covered over with one or more coats of white paint, and thus at once destroyed its original character, and greatly injured the expression of the face. Having absurdly characterized this expression for “pertness," and therefore differing from

that placid composure, and thoughtful gravity so perceptible in his original portrait, and his best prints, Mr. M. could have few scruples about injuring or destroying it. In this very act, and in this line of comment, our zealous annotator has passed an irrevocable sentence on his own judgment. If the opinions of some of the best sculptors and painters of the metropolis are entitled to respect and confidence on such a subject, that of Mr. Malone is at once false and absurd. They justly remark, that the face indicates cheerfulness, good humour, suavity, benignity, and intelligence. These characteristics are developed by the mouth and its muscles; by the cheeks, eyebrows, forehead, and. skull: and hence they rationally infer that the face is worked from nature."

DR. DRAKE acquiesces in this representation, and thus expresses himself on the subject :

“With these observations, which seem the result of a just and discriminating judgment, we feel happy in coinciding; having had an opportunity in the summer of 1815; of visiting this celebrated MONUMENT, for the purpose of gratifying what we conceive to be a laudable curiosity. When on the spot we felt convinced, from the circumstances which have been preserved relative to the Bust, from the period of life at which the Poet died, and above all, the character, distinctness, and expression of the features themselves, that this invaluabile relic may be considered as a correct resemblance

of our beloved Bard! That he was LL a handsome well-shaped man," we are expressly informed by Aubrey, and universal tradition has attributed to him cheerfulness and good temper. Now the Stratford Effigy tell us all this, together with the cha racter of his age, in language which cannot be mistaken; and it once superadded to the little which has been recorded of his person, what we have no doubt was accurately given by the original painter of HIS BUST, the colour of his eyes, and the beautiful auburn of his hair. But it tells us still more; for the impress of that MIGHTY MIND, which ranged at will through all the realms of Nature and Fancy, and which, though incessantly employed in the personification of passion and of feeling, was ever great without effort, and at peace within itself, is visible in the exquisite harmony and symmetry of the whole head and countenance; which not only in each separate feature, in the swell and expansion of the forehead, in the commanding sweep of the eyebrow, in the undulating outline of the nose, and in the open sweetness of the lips; but in their combined and integral expression, breathe of HIM, of whom it may be said in his own emphatic language, that

"WE NE'ER SHALL LOOK UPON HIS LIKE AGAIN."

With respect to the Family of SHAKSPEARE, his Wife outlived him eight years; dying August, 1623, aged sixty-seven years, and lies interred at