Page:Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623).djvu/13

To the memory of my beloued, The AVTHOR Mr. William Shakespeare And whatt he hath left vs

To draw no ? (Shakespeare) on they name Am I thus ample to thy Booke, and Fame : While I confeſſe thy writings to be ſuch, As neither Man, nor Muſe, can praise too much 'Tis true, and all means ſuffrage. But theſe wayes, Were not the paths I meant vnto thy praiſe: For ſeelseſt Ignorance on theſe may light, Which, when it ſounds at beſt, ecoho;s right Or blinde Affecton, which doth ne're aduance The truth, but gropes, and vrgeth all by chance; Or crfty Malice, might pretend, this praiſe, And thinke to ruine, where it ſeem'd so raiſe. Theſe are, as ſome infamous Baud, or whore Should praiſe a Matron, What could hurt her more? But thou art proofe againſt them, and indeed Aboue th'ill fortune of them, or the need I ,therefore will begin. Soule of the Age! The applauſe! delight! the wonder of our Stage! My Shakeſpeare, riſe I will not lodge. thee by Chaucer; or Spenſer, or bid Beaumont lye A little further, to make thee a roome Thou art a Monimesnt, without a tombe. And art aliue ſtill, while thy Books doth line, And we haue wits to read, and praiſe to giue That I not mixe thee ſo, my braine excuſes; I meane with great, but diſproportton'd Muſes: Tor,if I thought my judgement were of yeeres, I ſhould commit thee ſurely with thy peeres, And tell, how farre thou didſtl our Lily out-ſhine, Or ſporting Kid, or Marlowes mighty line. And though thou had ſmall Latine, and leſſe Greeke, From thence to honour thee, I would not ſeeke For names, but call forth thundering Æſchilus, Euripides, and Sophocles to vs, Paccuuius, Accius, him of Cordoua dead, To life againe, to heare thy Buskin tread, And ſhake a Stage: Or, when thy Sockes were on.

Leaue thee alone,for the cornpariſon

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