Shakespear’s pen. 
  The storm[2] which vanished on the neighb’ring shore
  Was taught by Shakespear’s Tempest first to roar. 
  That innocence and beauty which did smile
  In Fletcher, grew in this Inchanted Isle. 
  But Shakespear’s magic could not copied be,
  Within that circle none durst walk but he.

The plays of this great author, which are forty-three in number, are as follows,

1.  The Tempest, a Comedy acted in the Black Fryars with applause.

2.  The Two Gentlemen of Verona, a Comedy writ at the command of Queen Elizabeth.

3.  The first and second part of King Henry iv the character of Falstaff in these plays is justly esteemed a master-piece; in the second part is the coronation of King Henry V. These are founded upon English Chronicles.

4.  The Merry Wives of Windsor, a Comedy, written at the command of Queen Elizabeth.

5.  Measure for Measure, a Comedy; the plot of this play is taken from Cynthio Ciralni.

6.  The Comedy of Errors, founded upon Plautus’s Maenechmi.

7.  Much Ado About Nothing, a Comedy; for the plot see Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso.

8.  Love’s Labour Lost, a Comedy.

9.  Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, a Comedy.

10.  The Merchant of Venice, a Tragi-Comedy.

11.  As you Like it, a Comedy.

12.  The Taming of a Shrew, a Comedy.

13.  All’s Well that Ends Well.

14.  The Twelfth-Night, or What you Will, a Comedy.  In this play there is something singularly ridiculous in the fantastical steward Malvolio; part of the plot taken from Plautus’s Maenechmi.

15.  The Winter’s Tale, a Tragi-Comedy; for the plot of this play consult Dorastus and Faunia.

16.  The Life and Death of King John, an historical play.

17.  The Life and Death of King Richard ii. a Tragedy.

18.  The Life of King Henry V. an historical play.

19.  The First Part of King Henry VI. an historical play.

20.  The Second Part of King Henry VI. with the death of the good Duke Humphrey.

21.  The Third Part of King Henry VI. with the death of the Duke of York.  These plays contain the whole reign of this monarch.

22.  The Life and Death of Richard iii. with the landing of the Earl of Richmond, and the battle of Bosworth field.  In this part Mr. Garrick was first distinguished.

23.  The famous history of the Life of King Henry VIII.

24.  Troilus and Cressida, a Tragedy; the plot from Chaucer.

25.  Coriolanus, a Tragedy; the story from the Roman History.

26.  Titus Andronicus, a Tragedy.

27.  Romeo and Juliet, a Tragedy; the plot from Bandello’s Novels.  This is perhaps one of the most affecting plays of Shakespear:  it was not long since acted fourteen nights together at both houses, at the same time, and it was a few years before revived and acted twelve nights with applause at the little theatre in the Hay market.