THE

PLAYS

OF

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE,

ACCURATELY PRINTED FROM THE

TEXT OF THE CORRECTED COPY LEFT BY THE LATE

GEORGE STEEVENS, ESQ.,

WITH

GLOSSARIAL NOTES,

AND

A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF SHAKSPEARE.

IN EIGHT VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

CONTAINING

THE TEMPEST-TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONAMERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR TWELFTH NIGHT-MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

BOSTON:

PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, & CO.,

110 WASHINGTON STREET.

1854.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE

OF

SHAKSPEARE.

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE was born at Strat. ford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, on the 23d day of April, 1564. His family was above the vulgar rank. His father, John Shakspeare, was a con. siderable dealer in wool, and had been an officer of the corporation of Stratford. He was likewisc a justice of the peace, and at one time a man of considerable property. This last, however, appears to have been lost by some means, in the latter part of his life. His wife was the daughter and heiress of Robert Arden, of Wellington, in the county of Warwick, by whom he had a family of ten children.

Our illustrious poet was the eldest son, and was educated, probably, at the free-school of Stratford; but from this he was soon removed, and placed in the office of some country attorney. The exact amount of his education has been long a subject of controversy. It is generally agreed, that he did not enjoy what is usually termed a literary education; but he certainly knew enough of Latin and

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