CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

CLXII.

MADAM,

REmember, when we were very young Maids, one day we were Discoursing about Lovers, and we did injoyn each other to Con∣fess who Profess'd to Love us, and whom we Loved, and I Confess'd I only was in Love with three Dead men, which were Dead long before my time, the one was Caesar, for his Valour, the second Ovid, for his Wit, and the third was our Countryman Shakespear, for his Comical and Tragical Humour; but soon after we both Mar∣ried two VVorthy men, and I will leave you to your own Husband, for you best know what he is; As for my Husband, I know him to have the Valour of Caesar, the Fancy, and VVit of Ovid, and the Tragical, especially Comical Art of Shakespear; in truth, he is as far beyond Shake∣spear for Comical Humour, as Shakespear be∣yond an Ordinary Poet in that way; also he is the Best Heroick Poet in this Age, nay in my Judgment, in any, for I have seen him make Twenty Songs upon one Theme or Subject, as Musick, and not one Song like another; and for Comedies, he Hits, or Meets, or Imitates the Humours of Men so Justly, as he seems to go even with Nature; Indeed he is such a Per∣son, that I Glory more to be his Wife, than

Livia to be Augustus's Wife, or had I been Titus's Wife, who was call'd the Delight of Mankind, although I never heard he had any; for in my Opinion he is as Wise a man as Au∣gustus, and of as Sweet a Nature as Titus, all which is my Happiness in any Condition of Worldly Fortune, in which Happiness I know you Rejoyce, and this Rejoyce proves us In∣separable Friends.