There has always prevailed a tradition, that Shakeſpeare wanted learning, that he had no regular education, nor much ſkill in the dead languages. Jonſon, his friend, affirms, that he had ſmall Latin, and leſs Greek; who, beſides that he had no imaginable temptation to ſalſehood, wrote at a time when the character and acquiſitions of Shakeſpeare were known to multitudes. His evidence ought therefore to decide the controverſy, unleſs ſome teftimony of equal force could be oppoſed.
Some have imagined, that they have diſcovered deep learning in many imitations of old writers; but the examples which I have known urged, were drawn from books tranſlated in his time; or were ſuch eaſy coincidences of thought, as will happen to all who conſider the ſame ſubjects; or ſuch remarks on life or axioms of morality as float in converſation, and are tranſmitted through the world in proverbial ſentences.
I have found it remarked, that, in this important ſentence, Go before, I'll follow, we read a tranſlation of, I prae, ſequar. I have been told, that when Caliban, after a pleaſing dream, ſays, I cry’d to ſleep again, the author imitates Anacreon, who had, like every other man, the ſame wiſh on the ſame occaſion.
There are a few paſſages which may paſs for imitations, but ſo few, that the exception only confirms the rule; he obtained them from accidental quotations, or by oral communication, and as he uſed what he had, would have uſed more if he had obtained it.
