He retained, however, for a long time, a sense of the
harsh treatment of the Lord of Charlecot, and revenged himself in
his writings; but in the sportive way of a good-natured mind. Sir
Thomas is said to be the original Justice Shallow, and the satire is
slyly fixed upon him by the justice's armorial bearings, which, like
those of the knight, had white luces* in the quarterings.
* The luce is a pike or jack, and abounds in the Avon about
Charlecot.
Various attempts have been made by his biographers to soften and
explain away this early transgression of the poet; but I look upon
it as one of those thoughtless exploits natural to his situation and
turn of mind. Shakspeare, when young, had doubtless all the wildness
and irregularity of an ardent, undisciplined, and undirected genius.
The poetic temperament has naturally something in it of the
vagabond. When left to itself it runs loosely and wildly, and delights
in every thing eccentric and licentious. It is often a turn-up of a
die, in the gambling freaks of fate, whether a natural genius shall
turn out a great rogue or a great poet; and had not Shakspeare's
mind fortunately taken a literary bias, he might have as daringly
transcended all civil, as he has all dramatic laws.
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