Category: Biographies

Shakspeare and His Times [Vol. 1 of 2] Including the Biography of the Poet; criticisms on his genius and writings; a new chronology of his plays; a disquisition on the on the object of his sonnets; and a history of the manners, customs, and amusements, superstitions, poetry, and elegant literature of his age

Drake, Nathan, 1766-1836· 54 chapters· 279,138 words

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. 21

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Chapters

22. CHAPTER IV.

The space which elapsed between the birth and the death of Shakspeare, from April 1564 to April 1616, a period of fifty-two years, may be pronounced, perhaps, the most fertile i...

19. CHAPTER II.

As the first object of Shakspeare must necessarily have been, from the confined nature of his circumstances, to procure employment, it is highly reasonable to conclude that he a...

9. CHAPTER VI.

The record of rural festivity and amusement, must, as far as it is unaccompanied by any detail of riot or intemperance, be a subject of pleasing contemplation to every good and...

14. CHAPTER IX.

The popular creed, during the age of Shakspeare, was perhaps more extended and systematised than in any preceding or subsequent period of our history. For this effect we are ind...

12. CHAPTER VIII.

The attempt to describe all the numerous rural diversions which were prevalent during the age of Shakspeare, would be, in the highest degree, superfluous; for the greatest part...

20. CHAPTER III.

That a considerable, and perhaps the greater, portion of Shakspeare's Library consisted of Romances and Tales, we have already mentioned as a conclusion fully warranted, from th...

8. CHAPTER V.

It may be necessary, in the commencement of this chapter, to remark, that rural life, in the strict acceptation of the term, will be at present the exclusive object of attention...

10. CHAPTER VII.

Having described, in as brief a manner as was consistent with the nature of our work, the various circumstances accompanying the celebration of the most remarkable holidays and...

6. CHAPTER III.

SHAKSPEARE, AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL, FOLLOWS HIS FATHER'S TRADE—STATEMENT OF AUBREY—PROBABLY PRESENT IN HIS TWELFTH YEAR, AT KENELWORTH, WHEN ELIZABETH VISITED THE EARL OF LEICESTE...

3. CHAPTER I.

William Shakspeare, the object almost of our idolatry as a dramatic poet, was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, on the 23d of April, 1564, and he was baptized on the...

18. CHAPTER I.

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 MER...

28. scene 5., i. 397.

_Daniel_ (Samuel), critical notice of his "Defence of Ryme," i. 169, 470. And of his poems, 611. Causes of the unpopularity of his poem on the "Civil Wars between the Houses of...

4. CHAPTER II.

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 C...

17. CHAPTER X.

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 CONFIN...

47. scene 3., ii. 107.

_Sack_, a species of wine much used in the time of Shakspeare, ii. 130. Different kinds of, 131. The sack of Falstaff, what, _ibid._ 132. Sack and sugar much used, 132. And freq...

7. CHAPTER IV.

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—APPARENTLY...

15. act iv. sc. 1. Buchanan also beautifully records the same traditionary

"Festa Valentino rediit lux—— Quisque sibi sociam jam legit ales avem. Inde sibi dominam per sortes quærere in annum Mansit ab antiquis mos repetitus avis; Quisque legit dominam...

25. Act v. scene 4., i. 288. ii. 159.

_Barnefielde_ (Richard), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, works of, i. 676, 677. Character of his affectionate shepherd, 677. _note_ [677:A]. Verses of, on Shakspeare's Ve...

54. scene 3., ii. 99.

_Witchcraft_ made felony by Henry VIII., ii. 474. Supposed increase of witches in the time of Queen Elizabeth, ii. 474, 475. General prevalence of this infatuation, 475. Increas...

21. canto ii.

[567:F] This poet is conjectured to have thrown some ridicule on the Squire of Low Degree, in his rhyme of _Sir Thopas_; but Ritson remarks, that this romance "is never mentione...

11. act v. sc. 1. 4to. 1611.

[229:B] Jonson's Works, fol. edit. of 1640, vol. ii. A Tale of a Tub, p. 72.—Much of the spirit and costume of the _rural wedding_ of the sixteenth century continued to survive...

53. scene 4., ii. 93.

_Valentine's Day_, origin of the superstitions concerning, i. 324. Custom of choosing lovers ascribed to Madame Royale, 324, 325. Supposed to be of pagan origin, 325. Modes of a...

45. scene 3., ii. 275.

_Players_ (strolling), state of, in the sixteenth century, i. 248-250. Difference between them and licensed performers, 250. Exhibited at country fairs, 251. Companies of player...

33. scene 2., i. 74.

_Hentzner_'s (Paul), description of the dress of Queen Elizabeth, ii. 89, 90. Of the manner in which her table was served, 122, 123. And of the dress of servants, 138. Character...

38. Act iv. scene 3., i. 371.

_Madmen_, in Shakspeare's plays, remarks on, i. 587. Characteristic madness of Edgar, in the play of Lear, 588. Affecting madness of Ophelia in Hamlet, 589-591. Contrast between...

16. act ii. sc. 2.

[385:D] The Discoverie of the Large, Rich, and Beautiful Empire of Guiana, with a relation of the Great and Golden Citie of Manoa, which the Spaniards call El Dorado. Performed...

36. scene 7., ii. 465, 466.

_Library_, hints for the best situation of, i. 437. Notice of Captain Cox's library of romances, 518, 519, 520. And of Dr. Dee's library of magical and other books, ii. 511, 512...

44. Act v. scene 2., i. 384.

_Overbury_ (Sir Thomas), the first writer of "Characters," i. 509. Character of his productions, _ibid._ Especially his poem on the choice of a wife, 510. Imitation of it, _ibid...

29. scene 2., i. 35, 36.

_Harington_ (Sir John), critical notice of his "Apologie of Poetry," i. 466, 467. His "New Discourse of a stale Subject," 515. And of his "Metamorphosis," 516. Remarks on his po...

43. Act v. scene 2., i. 580.

_Omens_, prevalence of, in Shakspeare's time, i. 349-351. Warnings of danger or death, 349-354. Dreams, 354. Demoniacal voices, 355. Corpse-candles, and tomb-fires, 358. Fiery a...

35. scene 5., ii. 492.

_Kenelworth Castle_, visit of Queen Elizabeth to, i. 37. Account of her magnificent reception there, 38, 39. ii. 195-197. Quaint description of the castle and grounds, i. 40-42,...

1. PART I.

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...

27. Act ii. scene 1., i. 554.

_Country squires_, rank of, in Shakspeare's age, i. 68. Description of their mansion houses, 72, 73. And halls, 74, 77-79. Distinctions observed at their tables, 74, 75. Their d...

42. Act v. scene 2., i. 226. ii. 329. 346.

_Milton_'s "Comus," illustration of, i. 131. Illustrations of "Paradise Lost," i. 339, 381. Proof that he imitated Shakspeare's Pericles, ii. 279, 280. _note_ [279:C]. Exquisite...

5. Act iv. sc. 2. And his Eclogues, be it remembered, were translated

and printed, together with the Latin on the opposite page, for the use of schools, before the commencement of our author's education; and from a passage quoted by Mr. Malone, fr...

34. scene 2., i. 384.

_John's Eve_ (St.), superstitious observances on, i. 328. Fires lighted then, of Pagan origin, 328, 329. Fern seed supposed to be visible only on that eve, 329. Spirits visible,...

24. Act iv. scene 10., i. 308.

_Archery_, a favourite diversion in the age of Shakspeare, ii. 178. The knights of Prince Arthur's round-table, a society of archers, instituted by Henry VIII., 179. Encouraged...

23. scene 12., ii. 192.

_Amusements_, national, in the age of Shakspeare, enumerated, i. 246, 247. Account of the itinerant stage, 247-252. The Cotswold games, 252-254. Hawking, 255. Hunting, 272. Fowl...

50. Act v. scene 1., ii. 449.

46. scene 3., i. 358.

_Romances_, list of popular ones in the age of Shakspeare, i. 519-522. Origin of the metrical romance, 522, 523. Anglo-Norman romances, 523-531. Oriental romances, 531-538. Ital...

51. Act v. scene 3., i. 355.

_Turberville_ (George), biographical sketch of, i. 655. Notice of his "Booke of Faulconrie," i. 257. _note_. His description of hunting in inclosures, 275, 276. List of his poet...

41. Act v. scene 5., i. 82. ii. 340. 341. 343. 347.

_Middleton_ (Thomas), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 693. Wrote several pieces for the stage, in conjunction with other dramatic poets, ii. 565. Estimate of his merit...

26. Act iv. scene 2., i. 556.

37. scene 2., i. 105. 130. 515. 556. ii. 171.

_Lucy_ (Sir Thomas), biographical notice of, i. 402. His deer stolen by Shakspeare, 403. Whom he reprimands and exposes, 404. Is libelled by Shakspeare, 404-407. Prosecutes him,...

48. Act iv. scene 1., i. 271. 581. ii. 118. 138. 143.

_Tarlton_ (Richard), the comedian, repartee of, i. 66. His influence over Queen Elizabeth, 702. _note_ [702:D]. Notice of his poems, 702. Plan of his "Seven Deadlie Sins," a com...

13. act ii. sc. 4.

[311:B] "Barley-breake, or a Warning for Wantons. Written by W. N., Gent. Printed at London by Simon Stafford, dwelling in the Cloth-fayre, neere the Red Lyon, 1607. 4to. 16 lea...

49. Act v. scene 1., ii. 341, 342. 344. 505. 516. 525, 526.

_Theatre_, the first, when erected, ii. 203. List of the principal play-houses during the age of Shakspeare, 206. Licence to him for the Globe Theatre, from James I., 207. Accou...

2. PART II.

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 — H...

31. scene 2., i. 308.

_Henry_ VI., Parts I., II., and III.—The First Part of Henry VI., usually ascribed to Shakspeare, spurious, ii. 292. Alterations probably made in it by him, 293. Date of these t...

40. Act v. scene 1., i. 187. 381. ii. 390.

_Meres_ (Francis), critical notice of his "Comparative Discourse of our English Poets, with the Greeke, Latine, and Italian Poets," i. 468. His censure of the popularity of "La...

30. scene 3., i. 585, 586.

_Henry_ V. Prince of Wales, character of, ii. 380. Probable date of the play of, 425. Analysis of the admirable character of the King, 426-428. Remarks on the minor characters a...

39. Act v. scene 1., i. 222.

32. scene 7., ii. 372. _note_.

52. Act v. scene 1., i. 221.