Transcriber's Notes: In footnotes and attributions, commas and periodsseem to be used interchangeably. They remain as printed. Variations inspelling, hyphenation, and accents remain as in the original unlessnoted. A complete list of corrections as well as othernotes follows the text.
SHAKSPEARE.
Engraved by W. T. Fry after a Cast made by Mr. George Bullock from
the Monumental Bust at Stratford-upon-Avon.
SHAKSPEARE
AND
HIS TIMES:
INCLUDING
THE BIOGRAPHY OF THE POET;
CRITICISMS ON HIS GENIUS AND WRITINGS; A NEW CHRONOLOGY OF HIS PLAYS;
A DISQUISITION ON THE OBJECT OF HIS SONNETS;
AND
A HISTORY OF
THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND AMUSEMENTS, SUPERSTITIONS,
POETRY, AND ELEGANT LITERATURE OF HIS AGE.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND.
1817.
Printed by A. Strahan,
Printers-Street, London.
Though two centuries have now elapsed, since the death of Shakspeare, noattempt has hitherto been made to render him the medium for acomprehensive and connected view of the Times in which he lived.
Yet, if any man be allowed to fill a station thus conspicuous andimportant, Shakspeare has undoubtedly the best claim to the distinction;not only from his pre-eminence as a dramatic poet, but from the intimaterelation which his works bear to the manners, customs, superstitions,and amusements of his age.
Struck with the interest which a work of this kind, if properlyexecuted, might possess, the author was induced, several years ago, tocommence the undertaking, with the express intention of blending withthe detail of manners, &c. such a portion of criticism, biography, andliterary history, as should render the whole still more attractive andcomplete.
In attempting this, it has been his aim to place Shakspeare in thefore-ground of the picture, and to throw around him, in groups more or[iv]less distinct and full, the vario