Shakespeare of Stratford/The Biographical Facts/Fact 38
XXXVIII. CAMDEN RANKS SHAKESPEARE AMONG THE ENGLISH IMMORTALS (1603).
From William Camden’s survey of English poetry in his Remains of a Greater Work concerning Britain.
These may suffice for some poetical descriptions of our ancient poets; if I would come to our time, what a world could I present to you out of Sir Philip Sidney, Ed. Spenser, Samuel Daniel, Hugh Holland, Ben. Jonson, Th. Campion, Mich. Drayton, George Chapman, John Marston, William Shakespeare, and other most pregnant wits of these our times, whom succeeding ages may justly admire.
Note. This book of Camden was first printed in 1605, but the date attached to the dedicatory epistle, June 12, 1603, indicates that it was complete in manuscript at the earlier period. For Camden’s interest in Shakespeare’s heraldic ambitions see no. XXVI.