John Milton, 1630 (1608-1674)
“An Epitaph on the Admirable Dramatic Poet, W. Shakespeare.”
What needs my Shakespeare for his honour’d bones,
The labour of an age in pilèd stones?
Or that his hallow’d relics should be hid
Under a star-ypointing pyramid?
Dear son of Memory, great heir of Fame,
What need’st thou such weak witness of thy name?
Thou, in our wonder and astonishment,
Hast built thyself a life-long monument.
For whilst, to the shame of slow-endeavouring art,
Thy easy numbers flow; and that each heart
Hath, from the leaves of thy unvalued book,
Those Delphic lines with deep impression took;
Then thou, our fancy of itself bereaving,
Dost make us marble with too much conceiving;
And, so sepulchr’d, in such pomp dost lie,
That kings, for such a tomb should wish to die.
Prefixed to Second Folio Edition of Shakespeare’s Works. 1632.