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112 that he made friends with Nymphidia; and in this special sifting of his works we shall be so far regardful of chronology as to leave the consideration of airy nothings and their local habitation until after we have duly gathered out and examined the folk-lore of more palpable things, earlier brought under the notice of his Muse.

With regard to Shakespeare's scholastic acquirements, on the actual amount of his "small Latin and less Greek," there is much room for speculation, but I believe there is no reason to doubt that Drayton had "a good classical education," a gain which was in some degree our loss if I be right in thinking that his natural instinct towards poesie was oftentimes enfeebled by the weight of prestige and precedent which study of the poets of the elder world had brought upon him. The "woodnotes wild" of this English singer are sweeter far than the elaborated themes which came of eager listening to strains borne down from Greece and Rome. This poet born has left a pretty little picture of himself seeking to be a poet made. One immediate result of the process through which he went he tells us of: it is relevant to our present purpose. Hear him:

"From my cradle (you must know that) I Was still inclin'd to noble poesy, And when that once pueriles I had read, And newly had my Cato construed, In my small self I greatly marvell'd then, Amongst all other, what strange kind of men These poets were, and pleased with the name, To my mild tutor merrily I came, (For I was then a proper goodly page, Much like a pigmy, scarce ten years of age), Clasping my slender arms about his thigh. 'O my dear master! cannot you (quoth I) Make me a poet? Do it if you can, And you shall see, I'll quickly be a man.' Who me thus answer'd smiling, 'Boy,' quoth he, 'If you'll not play the wag, but I may see You ply your learning, I will shortly read Some poets to you; 'Phœbus be my speed. To't hard went I, when shortly he began, And first read to me honest Mantuan,