history of the town, with the exception of the famous Jubilee, which took place in 1768. In point of commerce and population, Stratford has been almost at a stand-still for many years. In 1765 the population was 2287; in 1821 the borough and parish contained 4229 inhabitants; in 1831, 3488. The population, within the municipal limits, in 1851, was 3372. The woollen manufacture, for which Stratford was formerly noted, is now entirely gone; and it is stated that the malting trade has considerably diminished. But it is not for commerce or manufactures that the tourist looks in this quiet and pleasant old English town. It has, in the birth-place and the grave of Shakspere, attractions which yearly draw hither crowds of travellers from every part of the civilized world. The "visitors" books" in Shakspere's House, in Stratford Church, and in the principal hotels, contain many of the most distinguished names in this country and America, and not a few of those most famous on the continent. It is due to our transatlantic cousins to state, that the names of tourists from the United States, and from Canada, appear to outnumber those of visitors from all parts of the British Islands.

THE BIRTH-PLACE OF SHAKSPERE is naturally the first spot in Stratford to which the tourist turns his steps.

*The idea of the famous jubilee originated with David Garrick. When the Town Hall was rebuilt in 1768, application was made to Garrick, through the well-known commentator Steevens, to give a benefit at his theatre for the raising of funds for the erection of a statue of Shakspere, in the niche in the north front of that edifice. The application was followed by the presentation of the freedom of the borough, and other compliments. Garrick entered into the proposal with enthusiasm. The idea of celebrating a jubilee at Stratford occurred to him; and being thoroughly approved of by the Corporation, it was fixed for the autumn of the following year. Preparations of the most magnificent kind were made for the festival, which took place in September 1769. Stratford and the surrounding villages could scarcely afford accommodation to the multitudes of persons of rank and genius who repaired hither to be present at the jubilee. Indeed it is stated that some of the visitors had to sleep in their carriages, being unable to procure beds. The jubilee lasted three days. A magnificent amphitheatre was erected on the banks of the Avon, capable of holding at least a thousand spectators. Here the company dined together, and held assemblies and a masquerade. The other entertainments consisted of the performance of the oratorio of Judith in the church, of music, vocal and instrumental, and the recitation by Garrick of an ode to the memory of Shakspere. It was universally agreed that the great Shaksperian actor never spoke with a more thrilling effect than on this occasion. The somewhat motley character of the entertainments may be further conceived, when it is added, that there were illuminations, transparencies, allegorical devices, a procession of Shaksperian characters, and, lastly, a horse-race on the Shottery Meadow, for the jubilee cup. Similar festivals have been held at various times, but none of them were of sufficient importance to require notice here.

It is a small house of humble but ancient appearance, and is situated in Henley Street. An old faded inscription on a board over the projecting window on the ground-floor bears the inscription

46 THE IMMORTAL SHAKSPERE WAS BORN IN THIS HOUSE."

The house, mean though it appears now, must have been one of some importance at the time of its erection. Like many other ancient houses, it was subdivided, though the exact date when this was done is not clearly ascertained. One-half of the building is known as the Maidenhead Inn, as early as 1642. The other half was long used as a butcher's shop, and was divided, previously to 1807, into two parts, the shop and a dwelling-house. The "Maidenhead Inn," subsequently called the " Swan," is now denominated the "Swan and Maidenhead." It is the part originally used as a butcher's shop which, according to the universal tradition of the town, gave birth to William Shakspere. The early history of this property has been investigated with great diligence by the various commentators of Shakspere. It descended to Shakspere from his father. In his last will and testament, the poet bequeathed "the house, with the appurtenances, in Stratford, wherein she dwelleth, for her natural life," to his sister Joan, the wife of William Hart. This evidently refers to the part of the building subsequently used as a butcher's shop. The whole property was conveyed by his will to his eldest daughter Susanna Hall, whose daughter, Lady Barnard, dying without issue, left it to the descendants of William Hart, with whom it remained till 1806, when it was sold to Thomas Court, the landlord of the Maidenhead. The birthplace of Shakspere was again exposed for sale in 1847, when, in consequence of a powerful appeal made to the feelings of the nation by the public press, prompt and vigorous measures were taken to raise funds to secure for the nation this inestimable relic. On the evening preceding the day of sale, the national agents offered a bidding of £3000; and on the day of sale it was eventually knocked down to them for a little more than that sum. Thus, on the 16th of September 1847, Shakspere's house became the property of the British Nation. The trustees elected to take charge of the property were, the Earl of Carlisle (then Lord Morpeth), the late Mr. Amyot, Mr. Payne Collier, and Dr. Thomson of Stratford. In connection with the history of Shakspere's house, it is further our pleasing duty to record a munificent gift by John Shak

spere, Esq. of Langley Priory, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, for the purpose of its preservation. This gentleman (who claims to be collaterally descended from the poet) has given a sum of between £2000 and £3000* for the purpose of separating it from the other houses in Henley Street-a measure which will secure it to a great extent from the danger of fire, as well as for preserving it, so far as possible, from the inroads of time. It has been suggested that this may be best accomplished by erecting a glass building over the house. A subscription book for contributions towards the preservation of the house, lies in the room in which Shakspere was born. The importance of this object cannot fail to recommend it to every lover of the "Sweet Swan of Avon."

On entering Shakspere's house, the tourist first examines the apartment on the ground-floor, which has a very ancient and somewhat dreary aspect. It has the ample fire-place of the olden times. The stranger seldom lingers long to inspect this apartment, and the small room that it opens into behind, for he is informed that in the room up stairs Shakspere was born. It is little changed from the time when the poet first opened his eyes on the light within it. Everything is ancient, and everything is preserved with the most scrupulous care. The furniture is old, but evidently not so old as Shakspere's time; but the room itself has all the marks of the antiquity which is claimed for it. The ceiling is low, and its walls rough and bare; its fire-place, too, can scarcely be of a later date than the time of Queen Elizabeth. Probably this apartment had an air of much greater comfort when it was the residence of John Shakspere and his descendants, for the walls of the higher class of houses were frequently covered with heavy arras. The walls and ceiling are dark with a million pencilled autographs. Pilgrims of all countries and all ranks have here inscribed their names; and these signatures, as Washington Irving observes, in his charming paper in the "Sketch Book," present a simple but striking instance of the spontaneous and universal homage of mankind to the great poet of nature." Among other names scratched on the glass of the window may be seen that of Sir Walter Scott. The tourist will be able to find in the " visitors' book," and on various parts of the walls where they are not yet obliterated by vulgar names, the signatures of many of the most illustrious men and women of the age.

The particulars of the life of Shakspere are too well known to require to be recounted here. He was born on the 23d of

* The Athenæum, September 13, 1856.

April 1564. About the year 1571 he was sent to the endowed Grammar School in this town. He was married in 1582, in his eighteenth year, to Anne Hathaway. In 1583 his favourite daughter Susanna was born, and in the following year twins, a son and daughter, Hamet and Judith. In 1585 or 1586 he left Stratford for London, where he gained fame and a fortune by his wonderful dramatic talent. Malone assigns his first play to so early a date as 1589, while other commentators are of opinion that his first attempt was made in 1592. In 1597 he purchased New Place, in his native town, and again, in 1605, he made another considerable purchase of property. It is not precisely known at what date he terminated his connection with the stage, but probably it was about the time of the latter of these purchases. The concluding years of his life were spent in ease and plenty. He died on his birth-day, April 23, 1616, in the fifty-second year of his age.

Stratford thus contains many spots that the admirers of Shakspere will delight to visit. "We examine," says Mr. Wheler, to whose valuable labours the biographers of Shakspere owe a deep obligation, "the humble roof that witnessed the birth of that genius, which afterwards shone, and ever will shine, in his works with distinguished lustre; we trace him to the school where he acquired the 'small Latin and less Greek' which his acquaintance Ben Jonson allowed him to possess; we follow him to the scenes of his youthful imprudence; to his gardens; to the site of that house where he passed his remaining days in tranquillity and independence; and we finally overtake him in that church, ambition's utmost bound,' where

'Low sleeps the Bard, in cold abstraction laid.""

The object which next claims the notice of the tourist is the Grave of Shakspere, in

STRATFORD COLLEGIATE CHURCH. This sacred edifice, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is picturesquely situated on the bank of the Avon, and is of large size and unusual beauty. It is cruciform, and consists of a nave and side aisles, a transept, and a chancel-the tower and spire rising from the centre of the cross, to a height of 163 feet. Dugdale says regarding this church that it is "of a very ancient structure, little less than the Conqueror's time, as I guess by the fabric of the tower steeple; but part thereof besides hath been rebuilt at several times." We have the records of some of these altera

STRATFORD COLLEGIATE CHURCH-THE INTERIOR.

49

tions. John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury, rebuilt the south aisle at his own expense, in the reign of Edward III. This same prelate had, in 1332, founded a chantry in the Chapel of Saint Thomas the Martyr, adjoining the south aisle. His nephew, Ralph de Stratford, Bishop of London, subsequently erected a large and commodious dwelling for the residence of the chantry priests, on the west side of the churchyard. This was named the College, whence the church presently obtained the title of Collegiate. At the dissolution, in the reign of Henry VIII., the College was suppressed like all similar foundations. The building itself, which was granted to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, passed through several hands, until, in 1796, it came into the possession of Mr. Edward Battersbee of Stratford, who pulled it down in 1799, when it was still "capacious, handsome, and strong." No remains of it are now to be seen. The act of Vandalism by which Stratford was deprived of this interesting old building is exceedingly to be regretted. The college had been, since the dissolution, the residence of various families of note, particularly of the Combes. John à Combe, Shakspere's friend, resided here, and there can be no doubt that the bard often partook of his hospitality within the building thus ruthlessly destroyed.

Other alterations were made on the church in the reigns of Edward IV. and Henry VII. The present spire was erected in 1764, and replaced a timber steeple covered with lead, and about 42 feet high, which had been taken down the preceding year. The tower from which the spire rises is a mixture of the early Norman and Gothic styles. Some other parts of the building are in the early English style, but there is no incongruity between these and later portions. Some of the windows contain rich tracery. The approach to the church from the town is by a fine avenue of lime-trees.

It is

The Interior is in all respects worthy of the exterior. The principal entrance into the Nave is by the west end. regular and handsome, "raised on six pointed arches on each side, and supported by hexagonal pillars, above which, on both sides, is a range of twelve well-finished clerestory Gothic windows, each subdivided by two upright mullions, terminating in open tracery, and the roof is surmounted by plain battlements." The North Aisle, which is referred by some writers to the reign of Edward I., contains some interesting monuments, chiefly of the Clopton family. The most ancient of these is a tomb of the altar shape, with no vestige either of inscription or effigy; supposed to be a cenotaph for Sir Hugh Clopton, Lord Mayor of London in 1492. On the opposite

E