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peculiar character of the poet's drama; and, lastly, to produce a work, which, while it may satisfy the poetical antiquary, shall, from the variety, interest, and integrity of its component parts, be equally gratifying to the general reader.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
SHAKSPEARE IN STRATFORD.
CHAPTER I.
Birth of Shakspeare-Account of his Family-Orthography of his Name.
CHAPTER II.
Page 1
The House in which Shakspeare was born-Plague at Stratford, June, 1564—Shakspeare educated
at the Free-school of Stratford-State of Education, and of Juvenile Literature in the Country
at this period-Extent of Shakspeare's acquirements as a Scholar.
CHAPTER III.
10
Shakspeare, after leaving School, follows his Father's Trade-Statement of Aubrey-Probably
present in his Twelfth Year at Kenilworth, when Elizabeth visited the Earl of Leicester-Tradi-
tion of Aubrey concerning him-Whether there is reason to suppose that, after leaving his Fa-
ther, he was placed in an Attorney's Office, who was likewise Seneschal or Steward of some
Manor-Anecdotes of Shakspeare-Allusions in his Works to Barton, Wilnecotte, and Barston,
Villages in Warwickshire-Earthquake in 1580 alluded to-Whether, after leaving School, he
acquired any Knowledge of the French and Italian languages.
CHAPTER IV.
16
Shakspeare married to Anne Hathaway-Account of the Hathaways-Cottage at Shottery-Birth
of his eldest Child, Susanna-Hamnet and Judith baptized-Anecdote of Shakspeare--Shak-
speare apparently settled in the Country. .
CHAPTER V.
29
A View of Country-Life during the Age of Shakspeare-Its Manners and Customs-Rural Cha-
racters; the Country-Gentleman-the Country-Coxcomb-the Country-Clergyman-the Coun-
try-Schoolmaster-the Farmer or Yeoman, his Mode of Living-the Huswife, her Domestic
Economy-the Farmer's Heir-the Poor Copyholder-the Downright Clown, or Plain Country-
Boor.. 33
CHAPTER VI.
A View of Country-Life during the Age of Shakspeare-Manners and Customs continued―Rural
Holydays and Festivals; New-Year's Day-Twelfth Day-Rock-Day-Plough-Monday-Shrove-
tide-Easter-tide-Hock-tide-May-Day-Whitsuntide-Ales; Leet-ale-Lamb-ale-Bride-ale
-Clerk-ale-Church-ale-Whitsun-ale-Sheep-shearing Feast-Candlemas-Day-Harvest-
Home-Seed-cake Feast-Martinmas-Christmas.
CHAPTER VII.
59
A View of Country-Life during the Age of Shakspeare-Manners and Customs, continued-
Wakes-Fairs-Weddings-Christenings- Burials.
CHAPTER VIII.
102
View of Country-Life during the Age of Shakspeare, continued-Diversions—The Itinerant Stage
-Cotswold Games-Hawking-Hunting-Fowling-Fishing-Horse-racing-The Quintaine—
The Wild-goose Chase-Hurling-Shovel-board-Juvenile Sports-Barley-breake-Parish-
Top.
120
CHAPTER IX.
A View of Country Life during the Age of Shakspeare, continued-An Account of some of its Su-
perstitions; Winter-Night's Conversation-Peculiar Periods devoted to Superstition-St. Paul's
Day-St. Swithen's Day-St. Mark's Day-Childermas-St. Valentine's Day-Midsummer-Eve
-Michaelmas-All Hallow-Eve-St. Withold-Omens-Charms-Sympathies-Superstitious
Cures Miscellaneous Superstitions.
CHAPTER X.
152
Biography of Shakspeare resumed—His Irregularities—Deer-stealing in Sir Thomas Lucy's Park
-Account of the Lucy family-Daisy-hill, the keeper's Lodge, where Shakspeare was confined,
on the Charge of stealing Deer-Shakspeare's Revenge-Ballad on Lucy-Severe Prosecution
by Sir Thomas-never forgotten by Shakspeare-this Cause, and probably also Debt, as his
Father was now in reduced Circumstances, induced him to leave the Country for London about
1586-Remarks on this Removal.
196
PART II.
SHAKSPEARE IN LONDON.
Shakspeare's Arrival in London about the Year 1586, when twenty-two Years of Age-Leaves his
Family at Stratford, visiting them occasionally-His Introduction to the Stage-His Merits as
an Actor.
202
Shakspeare commences a Writer of Poetry, probably about the year 1587, by the composition of his
Venus and 'Adonis-Historical Outline of Polite Literature, during the Age of Shakspeare.—
General passion for Letters-Bibliography-Shakspeare's Attachment to Books-Philology—
Criticism-Shakspeare's Progress in both-History, general, local, and personal, Shakspeare's
Acquaintance with-Miscellaneous Literature. 208
View of Romantic Literature during the Age of Shakspeare-Shakspeare's Attachment to, and Use
of, Romances, Tales, and Ballads.
252
View of Miscellaneous Poetry during the same period.
288
Dedications of Shakspeare's Venus and Adonis, and Rape of Lucrece, to the Earl of Southampton
-Biographical Sketch of the Earl-Critique on the Poems of Shakspeare.
352
On the Dress, and Modes of Living, the Manners, and Customs, of the Inhabitants of the Me-
tropolis, during the Age of Shakspeare.
On the Diversions of the Metropolis, and the Court-The Stage; its Usages and Economy.
388
426
A Brief View of Dramatic Poetry, from the Birth of Shakspeare to the Period of his Commence-
ment as a Writer for the Stage, about the Year 1590; with Critical Notices of the Dramatic Poets
who flourished during that Interval. 453
Period of Shakspeare's Commencement as a Dramatic Poet-Chronological Arrangement of his ge-
nuine Plays-Observations on Pericles; on the Comedy of Errors; on Love's Labour's Lost;
on Henry the Sixth, Part the First; on Henry the Sixth, Part the Second; and on A Mid-
summer-Night's Dream-Dissertation on the Fairy Mythology, and on the Modifications which
it received from the Genius of Shakspeare.
467
Observations on Romeo and Juliet; on the Taming of the Shrew; on The Two Gentlemen of Ve-
rona; on King Richard the Third; on King Richard the Second; on King Henry the Fourth,
Parts First and Second; on The Merchant of Venice; and on Hamlet-Dissertation on the
Agency of Spirits and Apparitions, and on the Ghost in Hamlet.
CHAPTER XI
512
Observations on King John ; on All's Well that Ends Well; on King Henry the Fifth; on Much
Ado about Nothing; on As You Like It; on Merry Wives of Windsor ; on Troilus and Cressida ;
on Henry the Eighth; on Timon of Athens; on Measure for Measure; on King Lear; on Cym-
beline; on Macbeth - Dissertation on the Popular Belief in Witchcraft during the Age of Shak-
speare, and on his Management of this Superstition in the Tragedy of Macbeth.
CHAPTER XII.
540
Observations on Julius Cæsar; on Antony and Cleopatra; on Coriolanus; on The Winter's Tale;
on The Tempest - Dissertation on the General Belief of the Times in the Art of Magic, and on
Shakspeare's Management of this Superstition as exhibited in The Tempest-Observations
on Othello; on Twelfth Night, and on the Plays ascribed to Shakspeare - Summary of Shak-
speare's Dramatic Character.
572
CHAPTER XIII.
A Brief View of Dramatic Poetry, and its Cultivators, during Shakspeare's Connection with the
Stage.
603
CHAPTER XIV.
The Biography of Shakspeare continued to the Close of his Residence in London.
615
PART III.
SHAKSPEARE IN RETIREMENT.
Anecdotes relative to Shakspeare during his Retirement at Stratford.
626
The Death of Shakspeare - Observations on his Will-On the Disposition and Moral Character
of Shakspeare-On the Monument erected to his Memory, and on the Engraving of him pre-
fixed to the first Folio Edition of his Plays-Conclusion.
630
APPENDIX.
637