| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | April 23 | | On the Portrait of Shakespeare | | By Ben Jonson (1572–1637) |
| | | | Born at Stratford-on-Avon, April 23, 1564. Died there April 23, 1616. |
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THE FIGURE that thou here seest put, | |
| It was for gentle SHAKESPEARE cut, | |
| Wherein the graver had a strife | |
| With nature, to out-do the life: | |
| O could he have but drawn his wit | 5 |
| As well in brass, as he has hit | |
| His face; the print would then surpass | |
| All that was ever writ in brass: | |
| But since he cannot, reader, look | |
| Not on his picture, but his book. | 10 | | |
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