while Will. Shakspeare could be had. This was the first dawn of better fortune. Shakspeare, finding more horfes put into his hand than he could hold, hired boys to wait under his inspection, who, when Will. Shakspeare was fummoned, were immediately to present themselves, I am Shakspeare's boy, Sir. In time Shakspeare found higher employment: but as long as the practice of riding to the playhouse continued, the waiters that held the horses retained the appellation of, Shakespeare's boys. JOHNSON. 6 idlest time of the day wherein men that are their own masters (as gentlemen of the court, the innes of the court, and a number of captains and foldiers about London) do wholly bestow themselves upon pleasure, and that pleasure they divide (how virtuously it skills not) either in gaming, following of harlots, drinking, or feeing a play, is it not better (fince of four extreames all the world cannot keepe them but they will choose one) that they should betake them to the leaft, which is plaies?" Nath's Pierce Pennilesse his Supplication to the Devil, 1592. STEEVENS. 6--the waiters that held the horses retained the appellation of Shakspeare's boys.] I cannot dismiss this anecdote without observing that it seems to want every mark of probability. Though Shakspeare quitted Stratford on account of a juvenile irregularity, we have no reafon to fuppofe that he had forfeited the protection of his father who was engaged in a lucrative business, or the love of his wife who had already brought him two children, and was herself the daughter of a fubftantial yeoman. It is unlikely therefore, when he was beyond the reach of his profecutor, that he should conceal his plan of life, or place of refidence, from those who, if he found himself distressed, could not fail to afford him such supplies as would have fet him above the neceffity of holding horfes for fubfiftence. Mr. Malone has remarked in his Attempt to afcertain the Order in which the Plays of ShakSpeare mere written, that he might have found an easy introduction to the stage; for Thomas Green, a celebrated Mr. Rowe has told us that he derived the principal anecdotes in his account of Shakspeare, from comedian of that period, was his townsman, and perhaps his relation. The genius of our author prompted him to write poetry; his connection with a player might have given his productions a dramatick turn; or his own fagacity might have taught him that fame was not incompatible with profit, and that the theatre was an avenue to both. That it was once the general custom to ride on horfe-back to the play, I am likewife yet to learn. The most popular of the theatres were on the Bankside; and we are told by the fatirical pamphleteers of the time, that the usual mode of conveyance to these places of amusement, was by water; but not a single writer so much as hints at the custom of riding to them, or at the practice of having horfes held during the hours of exhibition. Some allusion to this usage (if it had existed) must, I think, have been difcovered in the course of our researches after contemporary fashions. Let it be remembered too, that we receive this tale on no higher authority than that of Gibber's Lives of the Poets, Vol. I. p. 130. "Sir William Davenant told it to Mr. Betterton, who communicated it to Mr. Rowe," who (according to Dr. Johnson) related it to Mr. Pope. Mr. Rowe (if this intelligence be authentick) seems to have concurred with me in opinion, as he forbore to introduce a circumstance so incredible into his life of Shakspeare. As to the book which furnishes this anecdote, not the smallest part of it was the composition of Mr. Gibber, being entirely written by a Mr. Shiells, amanuenfis to Dr. Johnfon, when his Dictionary was preparing for the press. T. Cibber was in the King's Bench, and accepted of ten guineas from the bookfellers for leave to prefix his name to the work; and it was purposely so prefixed as to leave the reader in doubt whether himself or his father was the perfon defigned. The foregoing anecdote relative to Gibber's Lives &c. I received from Dr. Johnfon. See, however, The Monthly Review for December 1781, p. 409. STEEVENS. Mr. Steevens in one particular is certainly mistaken. To the theatre in Blackfriars I have no doubt that many gentlemen rode in the time of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. From the Strand, Holborn, Bishopsgate-ftreet, &c. where many of the nobility lived, they could indeed go no other Betterton the player, whose zeal had induced him to vifit Stratford for the sake of procuring all poffible intelligence concerning a poet to whose works he might justly think himself under the strongest obligations. Notwithstanding this affertion, in the manufcript papers of the late Mr. Oldys it is faid, that one Boman (according to Chetwood, p. 143, 66 an actor more than half an age on the London theatres") was unwilling to allow that his associate and contemporary Betterton had ever undertaken such a journey. Be this matter as it will, the 7 way than on foot, or on horseback, or in coaches; and coaches till after the death of Elizabeth were extremely rare. Many of the gentry therefore certainly went to that playhouse on horseback. See the proofs, in the Effay above referred to. This however will not establish the tradition relative to our outhor's first employment at the playhouse, which stands on a very flender foundation, MALONE. 7 --it is faid, that one Boman - was unwilling to allow that his affociate and contemporary Betterton had ever undertaken fuch a journey.) This affertion of Mr. Oldys is altogether unworthy of credit. Why any doubt should be entertained concerning Mr. Betterton's having visited Stratford, after Rowe's positive affertion that he did so, it is not easy to conceive. Mr. Rowe did not go there himself; and how could he have collected the few circumstances relative to Shakspeare and his family, which he has told, if he had noz obtained information from fome friend who examined the Register of the parish of Stratford, and made personal inquiries on the subject? "Boman," we are told, " was unwilling to believe," &c. But the fact disputed did not require any exercise of his belief. Mr. Boman was married to the daughter of Sir Francis Watfon, Bart, the gentleman with whom Betterton joined in an adventure to the East Indies, whose name the writer of Betterton's Life in Biographia Britannica has so studioufly concealed. By that unfortunate scheme Betterton loft 1 following particulars, which I shall give in the words of Oldys, are, for aught we know to the contrary, as well authenticated as any of the anecdotes delivered down to us by Rowe. Mr. Oldys had covered several quires of paper with laborious collections for a regular life of our author. From these I have made the following extracts, which (however trivial) contain the only circumstances that wear the least appearance of novelty or information; the song in p. 6, ex cepted. If tradition may be trusted, Shakspeare often baited at the Crown Inn or Tavern in Oxford, in his journey to and from London. The landlady was a woman of great beauty and sprightly wit; and her husband, Mr. John Davenant, (afterwards mayor of that city,) a grave melancholy man; who, as well as his wife, ufed rauch to delight in Shakspeare's pleasant company. Their fon young Will Davenant (afterwards Sir William) was then a little school-boy in the town, of about seven or eight years old, and so fond also of Shakspeare, that whenever he heard of his arrival, he would fly from school to see him. One day an old townf above 20001. Dr. Ratcliffe 6oool. and Sir Francis Watfon his whole fortune. On his death soon after the year 1692; Betterton generously took his daughter under his protection, and educated her in his house. Here Boman married her; from which period he continued to live in the most friendly correfpondence with Mr. Betterton, and must have known whether he went to Stratford or not. MALONE. 8 of about seven or eight years old,] He was born at Oxford in February, 1605-6. MALONE. man observing the boy running homeward almost out of breath, asked him whither he was posting in that heat and hurry. He answered, to fee hisgod-father Shakspeare. There's a good boy, faid the other, but have a care that you don't take God's name in vain. This story Mr. Pope told me at the Earl of Oxford's table, upon occafion of fome discourse which arose about Shakspeare's monument then newly erected in Westminster Abbey;" 9--Shakspeare's monument then newly erected at WestminSter-Abbey;] "This monument," says Mr. Granger, "was erected in 1741, by the direction of the Earl of Burlington, Dr. Mead, Mr. Pope, and Mr. Martyn. Mr. Fleetwood and Mr. Rich gave each of them a benefit towards it, from one of Shakspeare's own plays. It was executed by H. Sheemaker, after a defign of Kent. 66 On the monument is infcribed - amor publicus pofuit. Dr. Mead objected to amor publicus, as not occurring in old classical infcriptions; but Mr. Pope and the other gentlemen concerned infifting that it should stand, Dr. Mead yielded the point, saying, • Omnia vincit amor, nos & cedamus amori.' "This anecdote was communicated by Dr. Lort, late Greek Profeffor of Cambridge, who had it from Dr. Mead himfelf." It was recorded at the time in the Gentleman's Magazine for Feb. 1741, by a writer who objects to every part of the inscription, and says it ought to have been, “G. S. centum viginti & quatuor poft obitum annis populus plaudens [aut favens] pofuit." The monument was opened Jan. 29; 1741. Scheemaker is faid to have got 3ool. for his work. The performers at each house, much to their honour, performed gratis; and the dean and chapter of Westminster took nothing for the ground. The money received by the performance at Drury-Lane, amounted to above 2001. the receipts at Covent-Garden to about tool. These particulars I learn from Oldys's MS. notes on Langbaine, |