It is unnecessary here to extol the published works of the world's greatest dramatist. Criticism has been exhausted upon them, and the finest minds of England, Germany, and America have devoted their powers to an elucidation of their worth.
Shakespeare died at Stratford on the 23rd of April, 1616. His father had died before him, in 1602, and his mother in 1608. His wife survived him till August, 1623. His so Hamnet died in 1596 at the age of eleven years. His two daughters survived him, the eldest of whom, Susanna, had, in 1607, married a physician of Stratford, Dr. Hall. The only issue of this marriage, a daughter named Elizabeth, born in 1608, married first Thomas Nasbe, and afterwards Sir John Barnard, but left no children by either marriage. Shakespeare's younger daughter, Judith, on the 10th of February, 1616, married a Stratford gentleman named Thomas Quincy, by whom she had three sons, all of whom died, however, without issue. There are thus no direct descendants of Shakespeare.
Shakespeare's fellow-actors, fellow-dramatists, and those who knew him in other ways, agree in expressing not only admiration of his genius, but their respect and love for the man. Ben Jonson said, “I love the man, and do honor his memory, on this side idolatry, as much as any. He was indeed honest, and of an open and free nature.” He was buried on the second day after his death, on the north side of the chancel of Stratford church. Over his grave there is a flat stone with this inscription, said to have been written by himself:
Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the dust encloased heare:
Blest be ye man yt spares these stones,
And curst be he yt moves my bones.
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
[TITANIA: THE QUEEN OF THE FAIRIES]
[TITANIA PLACED UNDER A SPELL]
[PRINCE FERDINAND SEES MIRANDA]
[ROSALIND GIVES ORLANDO A CHAIN]
[LEONTES RECEIVING FLORIZEL AND PERDITA]
[FLORIZEL AND PERDITA TALKING]
[CORDELIA AND THE KING OF FRANCE]
[VIOLA AS “CESARIO” MEETS OLIVIA]
[MARRIAGE OF ROMEO AND JULIET]
[THE NURSE THINKS JULIET DEAD]
[PERICLES WINS IN THE TOURNAMENT]
[LUCIANA AND ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE]
[THE GOLDSMITH AND ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE]
[BASSANIO PARTS WITH THE RING]
[PAINTER SHOWING TIMON A PICTURE]
[OTHELLO TELLING DESDEMONA HIS ADVENTURES]
[CASSIO GIVES THE HANDKERCHIEF]
[KATHARINE BOXES THE SERVANT'S EARS]
[PETRUCHIO FINDS FAULT WITH THE SUPPER]
[THE DUKE IN THE FRIAR'S DRESS]
["YOUR FRIAR IS NOW YOUR PRINCE"]
[VALENTINE WRITES A LETTER FOR SILVIA]
LIST OF FOUR-COLOR PLATES