POEMS AND SONNETS






PREFACE

It is observed by Mr. Pope, that 'If ever any author deserved the
name of an ORIGINAL, it was Shakespeare. Homer himself drew not his
art so immediately from the fountains of nature; it proceeded
through AEgyptian strainers and channels, and came to him not
without some tincture of the learning, or some cast of the models,
of those before him. The poetry of Shakespeare was inspiration:
indeed, he is not so much an imitator, as an instrument of nature;
and it is not so just to say that he speaks from her, as that she
speaks through him.

His CHARACTERS are so much nature herself, that it is a sort of
injury to call them by so distant a name as copies of her. Those of
other poets have a constant resemblance, which shows that they
received them from one another, and were but multipliers of the same
image: each picture, like a mock-rainbow, is but the reflection of a
reflection. But every single character in Shakespeare, is as much an
individual, as those in life itself; it is as impossible to find any
two alike; and such, as from their relation or affinity in any
respect appear most to be twins, will, upon comparison, be found
remarkably distinct. To this life and variety of character, we must
add the wonderful preservation of it; which is such throughout his