William Smith, one of the greateſt men of his profeſſion, and of whom Mr. Booth always ſpoke in raptures. It is a misfortune that we can give no particular account of the perſon this excellent inſcription referred to, but it is probable he was of a good family, ſince he was a Barriſter at Law of Gray’s-Inn, before he quitted that profeſſion for the ſtage.
The inſcription is as follows,
Scenicus eximius
Regpante Carolo ſecundo:
Bettertono Coætaneus & Amicus,
Necnon propemodum Æqualis.
Haud ignobili ſtirpe oriundus,
Nec literarum rudis humaniorum.
Rem ſenicam
Per multos feliciter annos adminiſtravit;
Juſtoque moderamine & morum ſuavitate,
Omnium intra Theatrum
Obſervantiam, extra Theatrum Laudem,
Ubique benevolentiam & amorem ſibi conciliavit.
In Engliſh thus;
An excellent player
In the reign of Charles the Second;
The cotemporary, and friend of Betterton,
and almoſt his equal.
Deſcended of no ignoble family,
Nor deſtitute of polite learning.
The buſineſs of the ſtage
He for many years happily managed,
And by his juſt conduct, and ſweetneſs of manners
Obtained the reſpect of all within the theatre,
The applauſe of thoſe without,
And the good will, and love of all mankind.
