Our Illustration.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 318, 16 March 1878, Page 5

Our Illustration.

THE SHAKSPERE MEMORIAL BUILDING AT STRATFORD.

On Monday, April 23rd, the 313th anniversary of Sliakspere’s birth and the 261st of his death was commemorated at Stratford-on-Avon by the laying of the foundation stone of the Memorial building, represented in our engraving, and which includes a library, a picture gallery, and a theatre. There was a procession of Freemasons through the town ; and Lord Leigh, who performed the ceremony with full Masonic honors, made a speech, in which he explained that it was not intended to keep the theatre constantly open ; but that the library, museum, picture gallery, aud gardens would be free to the public, excejit for about twenty days in the year, when festivals would be held upon the occasion of certain anniversaries in connection with the poet’s career. Among the guests were Mr. Tom Taylor, Mr. Theodore Martin, Sir E. Wilmot, M.P., and Mr. Creswick, the actor, who in the course of his speech remarked that a memorial implied a dramatic school, and made a powerful appeal for national support for such an institution. The annual Shakspere Festival of the Urban Club was also held on the same day at St. John’s Gate Tavern, Clerkenwell. Dr. Westland Marston presided, and read a paper on the character of Shakspere aud the influence’ of his writings ; and Dr. Schliemaim, in responding to the toast, “ The Immortal memory of Sweet Shakspere,” said that England was more fortunate than Greece in that, while we knew the very houses in which Shakspere was born and had died, and

the exact date of each of his immortal dramas, the birthplace and grave of Homer were unknown, aud nothing authentic was known respecting the incidents of his life. Sliakspere’s connection with Stratford is referred to in the following passages from a sketch of his life : —William Shakspere was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, on the 23rd day of April, 1564. Of the rank of his family it is not easy to form an opinion. Mr. Rowe says that by the register and certain public writings relating to Stratford, it appears that his ancestors were “of good figure and fashion,” in that town, and are mentioned as “gentlemen,” an epithet which was more determinate then than at present, when it has become an unlimited phrase of courtesy. His father, John Shakspere, was a considerable dealer in wool, and bad been an officer and bailiff (probably high-bailiff or mayor) of tlie body corporate of Stratford. He held also the office of justice of the peace ; and at one time, it is said, possessed lands and tenements to the amount of £SOO, the reward of his grandfaterli’s faithful and approved services to King Henry YII. This, however, has been asserted upon very doubtful authority. But whatever may have been his former wealth, it appears to have been greatly reduced in the latter part of his life, as we find, from the books of the Corporation, that in 1579, he was excused the trifling weekly tax of fourpence levied on all the aldermen ; and that in 1556, another alderman was appointed in his room, in consequence of his declining to attend on the business of that office. It must have been, however, at this time, no considerable addition to his difficulties’ that lie had a family of ten children. His wife was the daughter and heiress of Robert Arden of Wellingeote, in the county of Warwick, who is styled “ a gentle-

man of worship " Our illustrious poet was the eldest sou, and received his early education, jhowever narrow or liberal, at a free school, * nably that founded at Stratford. From P r s\ ', e appears to have been soon removed, and thin x. accor ding to Mr. Malone's opinion, in placed, eo £ some country attorney, or the the oliUi o £ some manor court, where it is f^f SCi "' "ble he picked up those technical highly pWpv. i.| iafc so frequently occur in his hiw phf&seg \ i no t ] iaV e been in common use, plays, sKHd tfeftflu Sessional men. Mr. Capell unless among p£. ■*. e aily marriage prevented conjectures tills® h\ , me university. In his his being sent id R-, -,.ps a little sooner, he eighteenth year, or' p&fa who was eight years married Anne Hathaway, . '-ter of one Hathaolder than himself, the dr'-'-ysu ' a substantial way, who is said to have - %=?*. of Stratford, yeoman in the ate%hßouThobs . was spent ±he latter part of SfekspereV ]&*> ' on oE nis in ease, retirement, an'.? the convert Arable friends. Pie had CoH w < and property, which Gildon (in his « n Assay's," 1694; stated to amount to *&&# » annum a sum at least equal to £IOOO in' && days ; but Mr. Malone doubts whether all hi* property amonted to much more than £2OO Per annum, which yet was a considerable forSihJw 0 *! 2 nd ib is s "PPosed that he £ ha^ e ., de " ved £2 °o Ver annum from the theatre while he continued on the sta~ e . He retired some years before his death to a house m Stratford, of which it has been thought sT/Suth r<; gi r the - taSK oWTf m pt T' a youu S of an anw S ; n T th l ne^ Sir Hugh 111 and \ London iu the nrfga of Richard VIT R.! r l in the rei g" of Henry brothel V l "' hG be to his eldest brother s son his manor of Clopton, &c, and fetiatfoid. A good part of the estate was in estate had been sold for above a century, at the time when Shaks pere became the purchaser; who having remand modeled it to his own mind, changed to New Place, which the mansion--3 erected, in the room of the ""d for many years. The to it continued in Ascendants to "v were I

the naiiiw ._ house afterwai--.. . „, poet's house, retain*,, house and lands belonging the possession of Shakspere's cu the time of the Restoration, when re-ourchased by the Clop ton family. He v.. buried at Stratford, and on his grave stone, underneath, are these lines in an uncouth mixture of small and capital letters. Good Friend for lestis SAKE forbeare To diGG T-E Dust EncloAsed HEBe Blese be T-E Man * spares T-Es Stones

And curst be He £ moves my Bones.