fuch a mind as that of Shakspeare's, and may probably have given birth to that striking exclamation, at which, however just the image, and beautiful the compofition, humanity almost recoils, and the foul thrills with horror.

"Chain me with roaring bears;

"Or fhut me nightly in a Charnel house, "O'er cover'd quite with dead mens rattling bones, "With reaky fhanks, and yellow chapless fculls, "Things that to hear them told have made me tremble."

On a grave-stone adjoining to Shakfpeare's was formerly, according to Dugdale, the following inscription on Sufannah, his favourite daughter, who married Dr. Hall. From the character given of her in her epitaph, she seems to have inherited no inconfiderable portion of her father's talent. It is penned with much quaintness, and is a curious, and at the fame time by no means a contemptible

fpecimen

fpecimen of the character of the writings, and of the genius of the times. In nothing did the age of James improve upon Elizabeth: on the contrary, under him learning degenerated into pedantry, and fimplicity fell a facrifice to puerile conceit.

"Witty above her fexe, but that's not all,
"Wife to falvation was good Miftris Hall,
"Something of Shakspeare was in that, but this
"Wholy of him with whom she's now in bìiffe,
"Then paffenger ha'st ne'er a teare,

"To weep with her that wept with all;
"That wept yet fet herselfe to chere

"Them up with comforts cordialļ.
"Her love shall live her mercy fpread,

"When thou ha'ft ne're a teare to shed."

SEVERAL other relatives of Shakspeare's are interred in this vault; and very near his monument is that of John Combe, Efq. an intimate acquaintance of our Bard. A well fculptured figure in alabaster of this gentle,

man,