LONDON : Printed by A. & R. Spottiswoode,

New-Street-Square.

NATHAN DRAKE, M.D.

AUTHOR OF LITERARY HOURS,
OF ESSAYS ON PERIODICAL LITERATURE, OF SHAKSPEARE
AND HIS TIMES, OF WINTER NIGHTS, AND

EVENINGS IN AUTUMN.

Come, sweetest SUMMER!
And o'er old Avon's magic edge,
Whence SAAKSPEARE culi'd the spiky sedge,
All playful yet, in years unripe,
To frame a shrill and simple pipe,
O Goddess, guide my pilgrim feet! WARTON.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND :
AND W. BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH,

TO

THE LOVERS OF SHAKSPEARE, ,

THESE VOLUMES,

INCLUDING A NARRATIVE WHOSE

PRIMARY OBJECT HAS BEEN

TO UNFOLD ITS AUTHOR'S CONCEPTION OF THE

MORAL AND DOMESTIC FEELINGS OF

THE BARD OF AVON,

ARE INSCRIBED,

BY ONE, WHOSE ADMIRATION OF

THE PRIVATE CHARACTER OF THE POET,

PAINTLY AS IT HAS BEEN SHADOWED OUT BY

TRADITION,

IS SCARCELY TO BE EXCEEDED

BY THAT WHICH HE ENTERTAINS FOR THE

DEPTH AND UNIVERSALITY OF HIS

GENIUS AND TALENTS.