His Life and Genius 137 



out a blank verse as the best of you ; and being an absolute 

 Johannes Factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shakescene 

 in a country. 



" Johannes Factotum," since he was actor, 

 author, manager all in one ; u an upstart crow 

 beautified with our feathers," since he freely used 

 and adapted the works of others, taking for him- 

 self all that he could profitably glean from them ; 

 "a tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide," since 

 he, writing plays himself, rejected plays of which 

 the theatre had no need, thus saving it payments, 

 of which Greene and his companions were in sore 

 need ; " the only Shakescene in a country," since 

 he combined unequalled dramatic genius with a 

 practical knowledge of stage-craft and all the 

 qualities of a good manager. 



Not that the description of him as a tiger's 

 heart wrapped in a player's hide was in the least 

 warranted by his character and behaviour. It 

 was the rancorous explosion of festering envy. 

 Indeed, Chettle, the publisher of the pamphlet, 

 in a work published a few months afterwards, 

 made frank amends to Shakspeare, who had been 

 justly offended by what had been unjustly said of 

 him. Expressing his regret for his fault, he says : 

 " Because myself have seen his demeanour, no 

 less civil than he excellent in the quality he pro- 

 fesses. Besides, divers of worship have reported 

 his uprightness of dealing, which argues his 

 honesty, and his facetious grace in writing, which 

 approves his art." 



