The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-29


scripts contain only letters written 70
Shakespeare by various men OF note, and
one OF the most interesting Is e.
GRAT's INN, LONDON,
March %, 1909
F6r mig Be1o~ed William Shok5spe0re
These
BY the hand Of my messenger have |
re eivcd thy courteous cpistle Of this
morning and thy admirable sonnet TO the
fair Lady Mary il return for mine own,
which | had sent TO thee for suggestion
and amendment. Undersiandng.y 90 !
say thy sonnet and on thy part it is
pleasantly to call it mine, for scarcely
can / recognize aucht OF mine own
handiwoIk save the name OF the sweet
lady to whom the sonnet is addressed
Fain would ! claim a share in the crea-
ton Of this exquisite work YET at most,
from suggestion Of the theme alone, my
portion can be lat that Of the humble
grub. which may assert that but for Itself
the radiant butterfly which rivals the
splondors Of the rainbow and ia sunset.
had not been born.
At first marvclled that in thy pecan Of
praise 10 this gracious lgdy thou hadst
sunpre.sed all my tribute 10 her beauty.
which f. as of the golden dawn; ye,cven
here now recognize thy supreme merit,
fox daily and hourly are sung 90 her the
nrqi-es of this loneliness until The story
"a asa tate that + told and waa-incs,
~ ;Ee UNDERSTANDING. but tbs CONE
menda'ioas Of her wisdom viii he rs
fresh and fragrant incense. nor via ihcir
truthf1lness be too closely scanned.
Tbon knowcs. that ! have taken az
knowledge 10 bc ms province. ant these
f,-o boveT on and l,n~iorIv razef into
Tine 1owary fields of that divine ar
,sbcre today I'm our mucb-loyeG ENGLAND
u.oa ART di.Doring thvself suur,me.y
and alone BU- when | consider tbv
tragedies. throuch0ut which f. difTu-pd
me Utmost soul OF pocsy. my crude yct
lsboled metres seem 10 m. as The body
OF "a maiden. rot indeed devoid Of GER
tain comeliness and grace, Sc. into
whose waiting bosom hath Lot yet been
breathtd the spirit of lifc
IL tby tragedies th0u l4.. 81. 100. .cstic
grace which In the Attic age, belong. q TO
SOphOclcs alone. thou 80 tlc stately
march and music OF E,chyirs, without
i'm thy themes his ceaseie,s iteration Of
prc,le,iincl woe which ranks bis hero
outside humanity; vet the somhro hand
Of fate hath not more inaeXiDIy driven
the gentle iphigcnia 10 her doom than II
hath followed Macbeth TO his lorcshad
owed crime and end. But ia thy canti-
Gle. il isnOtau O'cTs haGOWing, mysterious,
and tragic fate. bur a gracious a1d loving
Providence which, a thysef hath
phrased il,
" Holds IN hands the shears of destiny.
And has commandment on The pals, oi lie.
In comedy. Ar,stOphaacs i not thy
master, yet must / greatly choose Thy
tragedies az monuments of Thy abiding
fame. Funeral dolor, rather dian bridal
carols inspire even the harp Of David.
beloved Il the Lord and The pencil Of
the Holy Ghost tOuCheth even the had
owed phases OF our earthly lives.
| am minded 10 now advert TO another
topic from The tale Iol3 ne by Sauihamp-
ton that thou vert presently 20 publish
4 volume Of Thy sugsred sonncts. May !
pray thee that this collection compass not
the two sOnnct5 written by thee for me
in laud Of our Queen Elizabeth, and
the one Of this m rning As thou
knoWcst. these first were presented to
our gracious Sovereign az mine own, and
did so pleasure her rs 10 chiefly prosper
my advancement. Were The tlus author
now known il might sadly mar my for
tunes In the vaslncSs OF thy riches, the
absence of these gems hall not De noted.
The loss Of star dims not The splendor
of the consultations. The glorious sun
seeks not To reclaim the lus!rc his rays
have given 10 the tiny dewdrop. Withal
! have rendered to thee somewhat OF
rccOmpensc az ! have spoken at sundry
times TO her gracious Majesty and 10 our
present anOinted Sovereign Of Thy dramas.
and fos.ered as best J might thy Interests
when they crossed not mine OWL. So
trust this boon may be awarded me, and
that my borrowed spiendors nay not BE-
stripped away. Thy unreasonable supe-
riority, a. again evidenced in the sonnet
to the Lady Mary, has liked anew my re-
solve as 10 ny predesiined f.id Of labor
No, for my brow shall b. woven the