THE PLAYS WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. LIFE... PREFACE... FARMER'S ESSAY... TEMPEST. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. LONDON: Printed by T. BENSLEY, Bolt Court, Fleet Street, FOR VERNOR AND HOOD, POULTRY; E. HARDING, PALL-MALL; AND J. WRIGHT, PICCADILLY.. 1800. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE, &c. OF WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. WRITTEN BY MR. ROWE. IT T 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 pofterity. 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 accidents of their lives, and even their shape, make, and features, have been the fubject of critical inquiries. How trifling soever this curiofity may seem to be, it is certainly very natural; and we are hardly fatisfied 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 the works of Mr. Shakspeare may seem to many not to want a comment, yet I fancy some little account of the man himself may not be thought improper to go along with them. 3925 1800 B 13 vil, orfyl (RECAP) He |