Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-23

/ entirely free from personal illwill.
| Pope says that Jonson loved Shake
! speare as we'll as honored his mem
DRY, celebrates the honesty, openness
and frankness OF his temper, and only
/ distinguishes, as he reasonably ought,
/ between the real merit of the author
and the silly and derogatory applause
| of the players Rowe gives us the
{ subioined anecdote, which has been
/ thought worthy of credit: MIR. JON
j son. who was at that time altogether
unknown TO the world, had offered
one Of his plays to the players in or
der to have it acted; and the persons
into whose hands it was put, after
having turned it carelessly and super
ciliously over, were just upon return
ing it to him with an ill-natured an
sver that 1t would be of no service TO
their company, when Shakespeare
luckily cast his eye upon it, and found
something so good in it as to engage
him first to read it through, and aft
erward TO recommend Mr.. Jonson and
his writings to the public"
II is not a little remarkable that
Jonson seems to have held a higher
place in public estimation than our
poet for more than a century after
the death of the latter. Within that
period Jonson's work went through
numerous editions. and were read
with eagerness, while shakespeare
remained in comparative neglect I'M
til the time Of Rove.
shakespeare was an eminent in
stance OF the truth of that rule,
Poeta non fit, sed naseitur."
The latter part of his life was spent,
as all men Of good sense would wish
theirs may be. in ease, retirement,
and the conversation of his friends.
His pleasurable wit and good nature
engaged him in the acquaintance and
entitled him TO the friendship of the
gentlemen Of the neighborhood, and,
in the words of Or. Drake "he was
high in reputation as q poet, favored
by the great and accomplished. and
beloved by all who knew him" Moth
ing can he more delightful than to
contemplate this wonderful man, in
the visor of his age, and in the full
possession of his amazing faculties,
retiring from the scene Of his we'll
earned triumphs to find, in the COM
parative seclusion Of his native town,
that repose and quietude, both in
mind and body, which is not to be
looked for in the hustle OF the world.
Shakespeare retired from the me-
tropols at a period little past the
prime Of life. We meet with no hint
of any failure in his constitution.
on February TO- 1e16, his youngest
daughter, Judith, married Thomas
Quincy. To celebrate that event he
entertained his two old cronies. Mich
ael Drayton and Ben Jonson. at New
Place. and. according to the statement
of John Ward. the vicar, ''itt seems
drank too hard, for Shakespeare died
of favour there contracted"
In the execution of his will he re-
fers to himself in perfect health and
memory, on the 2jth of March, 1916,
and warrants no immediate expecta-
ton of his decease The curtain was
now TO fall, however, on this earthly
stage of existence. He died ION the
2Srd of April the anniversary Of his
birth, having completed exactly his
fifty-second year. on the 25th. two
DAYS after his death, his body was laid
In his original dust, being buried I'M
der the north side of the chancel of |
the great church of Stratford flat
stone, protecting all that was perish
able of the remains of Shakespeare, |
bears this inscription:
Good friend. for Jesus sake forbearc
To digg the dust enclosed here:
Blessed be the man that spares these !
stones,
And curst be he that moves my |
bones"
The common opinion is that these !
lines were written by the poet him.
self, but this notion has. perhaps. or !
iginated solely from the use of the
word my in the closing line. 1.-THE
imprecation," says Malone. was
probably suggested by an apprehen- /