MODERN CHARACTERS

FROM

SHAKESPEAR.

ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED.

Shew Virtue, her own Feature.-Scorn, her own Image.

LONDON:

HAMLET.

Printed for E. JOHNSON, N° 4, Ludgate-hill; and fold by Mr. CRUTWELL, Bath; Mr. CADELL, Briftol; Mr. JACKSON, Oxford; and may be had of all Bookfellers in Town and Country.

M DCC LXXVIII.

THE ORIGIN OF

MODERN CHARACTERS,

FROM SHAKESPEAR.

Jan. 2, 1778.

A

Convivial circle of perfons of dif tinction affembled yesterday in Grofvenor-fquare, to ufher in the New Year, where, after dinner, it was dif puted for fome time," What Author had drawn the most numerous and finished likeneffes of mankind?"-An old fashioned peer, the noble owner of the hotel, contended for Shakespear; but the whole groupe diffented, by obferving, that his portraits were obfolete, and more of caricatures than characters. Piqued at this extraordinary judgment, the venerable nobleman went immediately to his library, and returning with a large folio edition of his favourite poet, informed the company, that a whim had juft ftruck him, which would probably decide the dispute; defiring

[iv]

defiring at the fame time, that each of the party would write the names of their most intimate friends, as well as their own, upon small flips of paper, which he further requested might be dropped promifcuously into the volume at the various places he fhould open; after which he would carefully fee whether the dead painter of nature would not be able to hit off a living likeness or two out of the number. His requeft being complied with, the book was indifcriminately opened feveral times before all prefent, when the annexed names, to the astonishment of the fashionable infidels, were found lying upon the following paffages;-a fair tranfcript of which, as they occurred, was made, without diftinction of rank or fex, and voted by a confiderable majority, to be fent to the Public Advertiser and Morning Post.

MODERN

D

CHARACTERS, &c.

H

The K-G.

EAR him but reafon in divinity,

And all admiring, with an inward wish You would defire the KING were made a Prelate!

Hear him debate of common wealth affairs,
You'd say it hath been all in all his study.
Lift his difcourfe of war, and fhall hear
you
A fearful battle render'd you in music.
Turn him to any cause of policy,
The Gordian knot of it he will unloose
Familiar as his garter.

Hen. V. A& I.

We learn,

By those who know the very nerves of state,
His givings out are of an infinite distance
From his true meant defigns. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority.

Governs Lord

Meafure for Meafure, A& I.

A

The