TO

THE LOVERS OF SHAKSPEARE,

THESE VOLUMES,

INCLUDING A NARRATIVE WHOSE

PRIMARY OBJECT HAS BEEN

TO UNFOLD ITS AUTHOR'S CONCEPTION OF THE

MORAL AND DOMESTIC FEELINGS OF

THE BARD OF AVON,

ARE INSCRIBED,

BY ONE, WHOSE ADMIRATION OF

THE PRIVATE CHARACTER OF THE POET,

FAINTLY AS IT HAS BEEN SHADOWED OUT BY

TRADITION,

IS SCARCELY TO BE EXCEEDED

BY THAT WHICH HE ENTERTAINS FOR THE

DEPTH AND UNIVERSALITY OF HIS

GENIUS AND TALENTS.

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

No.

I. Introductory. The Sheltered Solitude of a Sum-

mer's Noon, favourable to the indulgence of

fancy and meditation

II. Montchensey, a Tale of the Days of Shakspeare

III. The Same, continued

IV. Observations, Critical and Miscellaneous, on an

Anonymous Version of "Les Jardins," par M.

l'Abbé De Lille. Preliminary Remarks

-

PAGE

V. Observations, Critical and Miscellaneous, on the

First Book of the Anonymous Version of "Les

Jardins," par M. l'Abbé De Lille

VI. Montchensey, a Tale of the Days of Shakspeare,

continued

VII. The Same, continued

VIII. Notices, Biographical and Critical, of Two once

celebrated Poets, Natives of Hadleigh in Suf-

folk-William Alabaster, D. D. and Joseph

Beaumont, D. D.—ALABASTER.

IX. The Same, continued;

on, and Extracts from, his Psyche

-

-

BEAUMONT, Criticisms

1

18

59

101

125

155

203

242

- 259

No. I.

Now, while the fervid ray shoots o'er the skies,
How grateful feels the margin of the flood!
How grateful now to trace the devious course
Of some wild pastoral stream, that changes oft
Its varied lapse; and ever as it winds,
Enchantment follows, and new beauties rise.
O Nature! lovely Nature! thou canst give
Delight thyself a thousand ways, and lend
To every object charms! With thee, even books
A higher relish gain. The poet's lay
Grows sweeter in the shade of wavy woods,
Or lulling lapse of crystal stream beside;
Dim umbrage lends to philosophic lore
Severer thought; and Meditation leads
Her pupil Wisdom to the green resort
Of solemn silence, her inspiring school.

BIDLAKE.

THERE is no part of a SUMMER'S DAY in the country more delightful, perhaps, to the con