Shakespeare's environment

SHAKESPEARE’S ENVIRONMENT
BY MRS. C. C. STOPES DIPL. EDIN. UNIV., HON. F.R.S.L. AUTHOR OF “SHAKESPEARE’S FAMILY,” “SHAKESPEARE’S WARWICKSHIRE CONTEMPORARIES,” “THE BACON SHAKESPEARE QUESTION ANSWERED,” “WILLIAM HUNNIS AND THE REVELS OF THE CHAPEL ROYAL,” “BURBAGE AND SHAKESPEARE’S STAGE,” “BRITISH FREEWOMAN,” ETC., EDITOR OF SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS, ETC.
LONDON G. BELL AND SONS, LTD. 1914
CHISWICK PRESS: CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO. TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.
In this volume I have collected a few of my old papers which all contained something new at the date at which they appeared. They are all more or less connected with Shakespeare, and bear at least on my studies to try to understand the influences which affected his immediate predecessors and teachers, those which helped to mould his own thought and character, and those which showed something of his influence on his contemporaries and immediate successors. My period therefore extended from the accession of Henry VIII in 1509, to the national crisis in 1640. Little as each item of itself may seem to tell, every one helps to fill in, as with a touch of the brush, the colours in the background, which throw out more clearly the outlines of the central figure. For Shakespeare knew all about the training of the boys at school, all about the legal troubles of his relatives and friends and partners, he knew the contemporary history and literature of his time, and above all, its character . If perhaps I have made too prominent the story of his monument in Stratford, of which he could not know, it was to draw attention to the contemporary estimate of himself and his genius as recorded on that tomb; and to collect every scrap I could find to throw light on its subsequent history, the last touch of which was provided me by the kindness of Mr. Dugdale of Merivale.
I included the Introductory Chapter, which had never been printed, in remembrance of a special occasion, fully to be understood only by the members of the Shakespeare Societies. On a day of storm, snow, and sleet, in Stratford-on-Avon, the 23rd of April 1908, I had thought it my duty to travel to London to be present at the Commemoration Dinner at which Dr. F. J. Furnivall was to preside, and the guests of honour were to be Mr. Austin, then Poet Laureate, and Sir John Hare. They were each to deliver an address. When I was comfortably seated at dinner, Dr. Furnivall sent Mr. Hunt, then Hon. Secretary, to say that Sir John Hare had brought a written address which he now thought unsuitable to deliver on the occasion, and our President asked me to oblige him by filling the gap, as well as I could. Mr. Austin read an interesting paper on “What we can learn of Shakespeare from his plays.” I could only speak from my own heart, which was very full of Shakespeare that day. Mr. Austin came up to me afterwards and said: “If it is anything to you to know it, I would like to tell you that I agreed with every word you said.” Our dear old President was pleased that the possible hitch had been averted, and as my remarks had been taken down, he wished them preserved. So, though there is nothing new in it, I thought I might at the same time preserve a memory of that special day, and secure a good general introduction to the results of my work.