"All that is known with any degree of certainty concerning Shakspere is-that he was born at Stratford-
upon-Avon-married and had children there-went to London, where he commenced actor and wrote poems
and plays-returned to Stratford, made his will, died, and was buried."-STEEVENS.
"Along with that tomb-stone information, perhaps even without much of it, we could have liked to gain
some answer, in one way or other, to this wide question: What and how was ENGLISH LIFE in Shakspere's
time; wherein has ours grown to differ therefrom? in other words: What things have we to forget, what to
fancy and remember, before we, from such distance, can put ourselves in Shakspere's place; and so, in the full
sense of the term, understand him, his sayings, and his doings?"-CARLyle,
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS,
NEW YORK: 416, BROOME STREET.