Shakespeare'sdeath,histheatricalcirclesoffriendstocollecthiswork,in1623)outofShakespeare'sfirstplays,36script,knownas"thefirstapairofsale".ThedramatistBenjonsonwrotetheinscriptionforit,theShakespearepuffery,saysheis"thesouloftheeraof","itdoesnotbelongtoanerawhichbelongstoallofthecentury".
Betweenthe17thand18thcentury,duetotheriseofclassicaltheory,theShakespeare'scommentsaregenerallybalanced,bothadmittedtoShakespeare'sgreat,andpointouthisshortcomings.
AsBritain'ssun,JohnShakespeareisanaturalpoet,hepraisedhischaracterbothuniversalityandindividuality.,hethoughtthatShakespearesacrificetheirvirtue,attachesgreatimportancetogivethereaderapleasureratherthanforreaderstoteach,writinghavenomoralpurpose;Tragedyispoor,theeloquenceandspeechesmostlydull,grandioselanguageandlong,donottaketheplotarrangement.ClassicalSallyreviewinFranceistherepresentativeofvoltaire,hethoughtthatShakespeareisagreat,isdirty,ittoShakespeare'slesssure,nomore.Startingfromtheclassicalelegantinterest,hethinkthatShakespeareroughsneakyandlackofrationality,thereisnorulethathasnomanners,saidShakespeareisa"geniusofthebarbarians".