492 BEVIEWS. 



Frederick Maddealias maiotained the same ortliography in a letter prin- 

 ted in the '^ Archaeologia." But what gain is there in the change? 

 Every one acquainted, not only with MSS. but with the printed litera- 

 ture of the 16th and 17Lh ccaturies, knows how unfixed was the 

 orthography of all proper names. 



Turn we, however, to the poet's name as printed during his own life 

 time ; and probably under his own supervision, and there we are left in 

 no doubt as to what he and his contemporaries made of it. We have in 

 1599, " The Passionate Pilgrim, by W.Shakespeare," in 1609, " Shake- 

 speare's Sonnets," and in 1616— the year of his death— '< The Rape of 

 Lucrece, by Mr. William Shakespeare." So also his friends and post- 

 humous editors, Heminge and Gondell, when aiming, as they say, 

 " without ambition either of self-proiit or fame : oaely to keepe the 

 memory of so worthy a friend, and fellow alive, as was our Shakespeare." 

 Or, best authority of all, let us turn to Een Jonson's graphic pun : 



" Look how the father's face 

 Lives in his issue : even so, the race 

 Of Shakespeare's mind and manners brightly shines 

 In his well-turned and true-filed lines : 

 In each of which he seems to shake a lance, 

 As brandished at the age of ignorance." 



But this is a digression. Let us now invite the reader's attention to 

 a few specimens culled from the pages of our Canadian poet, iu 

 illustration of his style and mode of treatment of the subjects he has 

 selected for his verse. 



In the <' Prophecy of Merlin," the piece from which Mr. Reade's 

 volume takes its designation, the familiar poetic artifice is adopted of 

 putting in the mouth of an ancient seer, by supposed anticipation, an 

 account of recent events and present times. Sir Bedivere, sole 

 survivor of the Knights of the Table Piound, mourning for the depar- 

 ture of his adored King, is favoured by Merlin with a prophecy 

 of the fortunes that will befall Britain while yet Arthur sh ould be 

 slumbering on unseen in Avalon. 



It is necessary first to glance at what Merlin declares in regard to 

 himself He says — 



" Mine is the blazonry of propliet souls 

 Whose lineage finds in God its kingly head. 

 To me, what was, and that which is to come, 

 Are ever present, and I grow not old 

 With time, but have the gift of endless youth." 



