'Memoir of James Shirley, * In a former number we gave a portrait of this poet and eminent dramatic writer, and we appropriate the little space left at the conclusion of the Preface to give a hasty and brief sketch of his life. He was born Dear the Stocks Market in the city of London, about 1594, and probably descended from an antient family in Sussex. He was educated at Merchant Taylor's Hall, and removed to St. John's College, Oxford. Afterwards leaving this university without a degree, he was entered of Catherine Hall, Cambridge, and studied there several years, having for his contemporary Thomas Bancroft, the epigrammatist, who has recorded the circumstance in one of his epigrams. 1639, qto. B. 1. Ep. 13.† At this university he probably obtained a degree, and after entering into orders,, held some preferment near the town of St. Albans. Being unsettled in his principles, he afterwards changed his religion for that of Rome, and having resigned his living, taught a grammar school at St. Albans; but finding this employment uneasy to him, he left it for the metropolis, where he resided in Gray's Inn, and commenced dramatic writer. In this new undertaking he not only obtained a considerable livelihood, but was respected and encouraged by persons of quality, and particularly by the queen of Charles I. who made him her servant. Upon the breaking out of the rebellion, he was forced to leave London, with his wife and children, and appears to have served in the wars upon the invitation of his patron the Duke of Newcastle. When the king's cause declined, be again contrived to take up his residence obscurely in London, where he was assisted by his friend Thomas Stanley, and afterwards re-established himself as a schoolmaster in Whitefriars, and educated several eminent men. At length when about 72 years of age he was driven, with his second wife Frances, from his residence near Flect-street, by the tire of London in 1666, and took refuge in the parish of St. Giles's in the Fields, where being overcome with affright at their miseries and losses, they both expired in one day, and were buried at St. Giles's Church the 29th October 1666.‡ As an author, he appears by one of his poems to have writ ten as early as 1619,§ and bis prolific muse produced for the stage not less than forty-four dramatic pieces. Four of these are mentioned by Langbaine, as performed in his time at the King's house, and the Duke's theatre in Little Lincoln's Inn Fields, i. e. Portugal-row. In the specimens selected by Mr. Ellis (vol. iii. p. 132.) occur those beautiful lines from the "Contention of Ajax and Ulysses for the armor of Achilles," beginning "The glories of our blood and state," and which : Wood's Ath. Oxon. Vol. I. col. 376. † Oldys' Notes on Langbaine. + Wood ut sup. He occasionally was joined by Chapman, &c. For an enumeration of his pieces see the forthcoming work called the Prompter, p. 85. § Oldys. || Account of Dramatick Poets, p. 475. Oldys Oldys says" is the fine song which old Bowman (the actor used to sing to K. Charles, and which he has often sung t me." Had Shirley left no other record of his pen than th concluding stanza, his name would not have perished: The garlands wither on your brow: Then boast no more your mighty deeds! Upon death's purple altar now See where the victor-victim bleeds! To the cold tomb, Only the actions of the just Smell sweet, and blossom in the dust. We have seen announced a complete edition of his works, and scarcely know any writer more deserving the attention and patronage of the literary world. Besides his plays, he published a volume of poems in 1646 21m, and we also see a reference to Shirley's Guide to Children in the Principles of Grammar, Lond. 1660, 8vo. probably by him, unless there has been some mistake in referring to a work from which we shall give an unnoticed poem of his writing. This Foem of Shirley is to be found in an obscure little volume, by Francis Hawkins, entitled Youth's Behaviour, 1668.* " "In Laudem Authoris. Though here be wonder when 'tis known, A child should make this work his own, (Since he that can translate and please A child should teach the world more wit. JAMES SHURLEY. Youth's Behaviour, or Decency in Conversation amongst Men. Composed in French by grave persons, for the use and benefit of their youth. Now newly turned into English by Francis Hawkins, nephew of Sir Thomas Hawkins, translator of Causoin's Holy Court. With the addition of 26 new precepts, written by a grave author, &c. The 9th impression, &c. London: printed for W. Lea, &c. 1668, small 8vo. By the Preface, it appears that he was only eight years old; and that he was son of Dr. Hawkins; and that it was first published 25 years before. His uncle Sir Thomas was of Nesh Cort in Boughton under Blean, co. Kent. British Bibliographer. N. XII. ¶ The EKATOMПAIA or Passionate Centurie of Loue, divided into two parts: whereof, the first expresseth the Authors sufferance in Loue: the latter, his long farewell to Loue and all his tyrannie. Composed by Thomas Watson, Gentleman; and published at the request of cerleine Gentlemen his cery frendes. London, Imprinted by John Wolfe, for Gabriell Cawood, dwellinge in Paule's Churchyard at the Signe of the Holy Ghost. THIS title page has no date. It is within an ornamented wood-cut border. The volume is a very thin 4to. with one sonnet on every page. It is dedicated to Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxenford, &c. followed by an address "To the frendly reader." Then comes a prose letter from "lohn Lyly to the authour his freind." This is succeeded by "Authoris ad Libellum suum Protrepticon," 46 hexameter and pentameter lines. Now follow the commendatory verses, which are these: 1. A Quatorzain in the commendation of Master Thomas Watson, and of his Mistres, for whom he wrote this book of Passionat Sonnetes,† signed G. Bucke. 2. To the Authour, signed T. Acheley. 3. An Ode written to the Muses concerning this authour, signed C. Downhalus. Also, Ejusdem aliud de authore; 18 hexameter and pentameter verses. The work is entered on the Stationer's Books, 1581. + Reprinted in Gent. Mag. lxviii. p. 904. and Theatr. Poet. p. 214. VOL. IV. R 4. Lines 4. Lines beginning "It's seldom seene that Merite hath his due." signed M. Roydon. 5. To the Authour, signed G. Peele. Then comes ર A Quatorzain of the Authour unto this his booke of Love-Passions." On the next page the sonnets begin. The author was a native of London, and educated at Oxford, whence he returned to the metropolis and studied the law. He also wrote Melibaeus, a Latin eclogue on the death of Sir Francis Walsingham, 1590, 4to. Amintæ Gauidia in hexameter verses. Lond. 4to. 1592. He also translated the Antigone of Sophocles, 1581-and Englished a set of Italian Madrigals, published by Bird, 1590. Meres has compared him with Petrarch. In his Latin address ad Libellum, he speaks of his cotemporaries Sydney and Dyer, as of similar fame; and expresses his own dependence on the house of Vere. "Hic quoque, seu subeas Sydnæi, siue Dyeri Dic te Xeniolum non diuitis esse clientis, Inde serenato vultu te mitis vterque Perleget, et næuos condet vterque tuos. Officii semper sit tibi cura tui. Tum fortasse piis Nymphis dabit ille legendum, Cum de Cyprigeno verba iocosa serent," &c. The late Mr. George Steevens chose to pronounce WATSON" a more elegant sonneteer than Shakspeare ;" with what justice the long specimens which follow, extracted from an uncommonly scarce book, will enable the reader to judge. It is true that Shakspeare's sonnets are not among the best of his minor poems; but they exhibit some occasional traits of his genius; and, I think, more genuine poetical talent throughout than those of the writer now before us. The epithet "elegant" seems ill applied to Watson. Elegance must unite simplicity with grace. Over laboured |