of both these poems the name is printed "Shakespeare." The same is the case in all the quarto issues of his plays, where the author's name is given, with the single exception of Love's Labour's Lost, which has it "Shakespere ;" and also in the original folio. And in much the greater number of these instances the name is printed with a hyphen, thus, "Shake-speare," as if on purpose that there might be no mistaking it. All which, surely, is, or ought to be, decisive as to how the Poet willed his name to be spelt in print. And so we have uniformly printed it throughout this edition, except where we made a point to quote with literal exact

ness.

We have now presented all the matter there is at hand, which seems to illustrate in any way the character and tem per of Shakespeare as a man moving among his fellow-mer Scanty as are the materials, enough, we think, has been given, to show that in all the common dealings of life he was eminently gentle, candid, upright, and judicious; open-hearted, genial, and sweet in his social intercourses; among his companions and friends, full of playful wit and sprightly grace; kind to the faults of others, severe to his own; quick to discern and acknowledge merit in another, modest and slow of finding it in himself: while, in the smooth and happy marriage, which he seems to have realized, of the highest poetry and art with systematic and successful prudence in business affairs, we have an example of compact and wellrounded practical manhood, such as may justly engage our perpetual admiration.

This is not the place to enter into a formal review or criticism of the Poet's works. The foregoing pages will show that his marvellous gifts were not so little appreciated in his own time as hath been commonly supposed. Kings, princes, lords, gentlemen, and, what perhaps was still better, com

mon people, all united in paying homage to his transcendent genius. The noble tribute of Ben Jonson, than whom few men, perhaps none, ever knew better how to judge and how to write on such a theme, prefixed to the folio of 1623, indicates how he struck the scholarship of the age. We know not how we can fitlier close this Life than by another tribute from the same great hand. It is from his Poetaster, where the following judgment is pronounced on Virgil, who is commonly understood to represent Shakespeare:

I judge him of a rectified spirit,
By many revolutions of discourse
(In his bright reason's influence) refin'd

From all the tartarous moods of common men
Bearing the nature and similitude

Of a right heavenly body; most severe
In fashion and collection of himself,

And then as clear and confident as Jove.

And yet so chaste and tender is his ear,

In suffering any syllable to pass,

That he thinks may become the honour'd name
Of issue to his so examin'd self,

That all the lasting fruits of his full merit,

In his own poems, he doth still distaste;
As if his mind's piece, which he strove to paint,
Could not with fleshly pencils have her right.
But, to approve his works of sovereign worth,
This observation, methinks, more than serves,
And is not vulgar: That which he hath writ
Is with such judgment labour'd, and distill'd
Through all the needful uses of our lives,
That, could a man remember but his lines,
He should not touch at any serious point,
But he might breathe his spirit out of him.
His learning savours not the school-like gloss,
That most consists in echoing words and terms,
And soonest wins a man an empty name;
Nor any long or far-fetch'd circumstance
Wrapp'd in the curious generalities of arts;
But a direct and analytic sum

Of all the worth and first effects of arts.
And for his poesy, 'tis so ramm'd with life,
"That it shall gather strength of life with being
And live hereafter more admir'd than now."

SHAKESPEARE'S WILL.'

Vicesimo quinto die Martii, Anno Regni Domini nostri Jacobi, nunc Rcgis Angliæ, &c. decimo quarto, et Scotia xlix.; Annoque Domini 1616.

T. Wmi. Shackspeare.

In the name of God, Amen! I William Shackspeare, of Stratford upon Avon, in the countie of Warr., gent., in perfect health and memorie, God be praysed! doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme followeing; that ys to saye, First, I comend my soule into the handes of God my Creator, hoping and assuredlie beleeving, through thonelie merites of Jesus Christe my Saviour, to be made partaker of lyfe everlastinge, and my bodye to the earth whereof yt ys made. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto my daughter Judyth one hundred and fyftie poundes of lawful English money, to be paied unto her in manner and forme followeing, that ys to saye, one hundred pounds in discharge of her marriage porcion within one yeare after my deceas, with consideracion after the rate of twoe shillinges in the pound for soe long tyme as the same shalbe unpaied unto her after my deceas, and the fyftie poundes residewe thereof upon her surrendering of or gyv ing of such sufficient securitie as the overseers of this my will shall like of to surrender or graunte all her estate and right that shall discend or come unto her after my deceas, or that shee nowe hath, of, in or to one copiehold tenemente with thappurtenaunces lyeing and being in Stratford upon

1 Shakespeare's will is here printed as given by Mr. Halliwell from the original in the office of the Prerogative Court, London The will is written on three sheets of paper which are fastened together at the top. The Poet's name is signed at the bottom of the first and second sheets, and his final signature," By me Wil liam Shakspeare," in the middle of the third.

Avon aforesaied, in the saied countie of Warr., being parcell or holden of the mannour of Rowington, unto my daughter Susanna Hall and her heires for ever. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto my saied daughter Judith one hundred and fyftie poundes more, if shee or anie issue of her bodie be lyvinge att thend of three yeares next ensueing the daie of the date of this my will, during which tyme my executours are to paie her consideracion from my deceas according to the rate aforesaid; and if she dye within the saied tearme with ut issue of her bodye, then my will ys, and I doe gyve and bequeath one hundred poundes thereof to my neece Elizabeth Hall, and the fiftie poundes to be sett forth by my executours during the lief of my sister Johane Harte, and the use and proffitt thereof cominge shalbe payed to my saied sister Jone, and after her deceas the saied 1. shall remaine amongst the children of my saied sister equallie to be devided amongst them; but if my saied daughter Judith be lyving att thend of the saied three yeares, or anie yssue of her bodye, then my will ys, and soe I devise and bequeath the saied hundred and fyftie poundes to be sett out by my executours and overseers for the best benefitt of her and her issue, and the stock not to be paied unto her soe long as she shalbe marryed and covert baron; but my will ys, that she shall have the consideracion yearelie paied unto her during her lief, and, after her deceas, the saied stock and consideracion to be paied to her children, if she have anie, and if not, to her executors or assignes, she lyving the saied terme after my deceas: Provided that if such husbond, as she shall att thend of the saied three yeares be marryed unto, or at anie tyme after, doe sufficientlie assure unto her and thissue of her bodie landes awnswereable to the porcion by this my will gyven unto her, and to be adjudged soe by my executours and overseers, then my will ys, that the saied cl. shalbe paied to such husbond as shall make such assurance to his owne use. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto my saied sister Jone xx." and all my wearing apparell, to be paied and de

livered within one yeare after my deceas; and I doe will and devise unto her the house with thappurtenaunces in Stratford, wherein she dwelleth, for her naturall lief, under the yearlie rent of xii. d. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto her three sonnes, William Harte, Thomas Hart, and Michaell Harte, fyve poundes apeece, to be paied within one yeare after my deceas. Item, I gyve and bequeath uno the saied Elizabeth Hall all my plate, except my brod silver and gilt bole, that I now have att the date of this my will. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto the poore of Stratford aforesaied tenn poundes; to Mr. Thomas Combe my sword; to Thomas Russell, esquier, fyve poundes, and to Frauncis Collins of the borough of Warr. in the countie of Warr., gentleman, thirteene poundes, sixe shillinges and eightpence, to be paied within one yeare after my deceas. Item, I gyve and bequeath to Hamlett Sadler xxvi. s. viii. d., to buy him a ringe ; to William Raynolds, gent., xxvi. s. viii. d., to buy him a ringe; to my godson William Walker xx. s. in gold; to Anthonye Nashe, gent., xxvi. s. viii. d.; and to Mr. John Nashe, xxvi. s. viii. d.; and to my fellowes, John Hemynges, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell, xxvi. s. viii. d. apeece, to buy them ringes. Item, I gyve, will, bequeath and devise, unto my daughter Susanna Hall, for better enabling of her to performe this my will, and towardes the performans thereof, all that capitall messuage or tenemente, with thappurtenaunces, in Stratford aforesaid, called the New Place, wherein I nowe dwell, and two messuages or tenementes, with thappurtenaunces, scituat, lyeing, and be ing in Henley-streete within the borough of Stratford aforesaied; and all my barnes, stables, orchardes, gardens, landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, whatsoever, scituat, lyeing, and being, or to be had, receyved, perceyved, or taken, within the townes, hamletes, villages, fields, and groundes of Stratford upon Avon, Old Stratford, Bushopton and Welcombe, or in anie of them, in the said countie of Warr. And alsoe all that messuage cr tenemente, with