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for searching only. This opposition between Shakspere's methods and those of Jonson grew, of course, out of the Art and Nature labels which had already been attached to each.
But the first actual fragment of our story is found only so late as 1668, when Dryden wrote that,
The consideration of this made Mr. Hales of Eton say, That there was no subject of which any Poet ever writ, but he would produce it much better treated of in Shakespeare; and however others are now generally prefer'd before him, yet the Age wherein he liv'd, which had contemporaries with him, Fletcher and 7ohnson never equall'd them to him, in their esteem: And in the last Kings Court, when Ben's reputation was at highest, Sir john Suckling, and with him the greater part of the courtiers, set our Shakespeare far above him.'
Here, then, is Dryden's story, with the alleged opinion of Hales, and with Suckling preferring Shakspere to Jonson.
Two later writers give this opinion of Hales a circumstantial setting. The first and in many ways the most elaborate of these versions is that of Gildon in 1694. But in the meantime Nahum Tate in 168o had written to Edw. Tayler,
I cannot forget the strong desire I have heard you express to see the Common Places of our Shakespear compar'd with the most famous of the Ancients . . . Our Learned Hales was wont to assert "That since the time of Orpheus and the Oldest Poets, no Common Place has been touch'd upon, where our Authour has not perform'd as well .4
This is merely Dryden in fancy dress, and needs no other source. Also in his reference work, which with its successive revisions was destined to be the standard for many a year, Langbaine in 1691 says,
Sr. john Sucklin had so great a value for our Author, that (as Mr. Dryden observes in his Dramatick Essay) he preferred him to 7ohnson.b
Tate and Langbaine together make up Dryden.
Then in 1694 Charles Gildon,X addressing Dryden and quoting Dryden, "if my Memory fail me not," gives the story the setting of a formal trial at Eton, and mentions specifically only Falkland and Suckling as participants with Hales and Persons of Quality. A progressive growth in change of phraseology is significant here. Dryden's statement was general, "no subject." In Tate, this becomes specific and technical, "no Common Place." So Gildon continues the evolution with, "all the Topics, and common places made use of in
¹ Munro, A. dll. Bk., Vol. II, p. 141.
' Munro, Sh. elll. Bk., Vol. I, p. 374. 4 Munro, SA. All. Bk., Vol. 1I, p. 372.
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