LONDON: Printed by A. & R. Spottiswoode,

New-Street-Squarc.

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 SHAKSPEARE cull'd the spiky sedge,
All playful yet, in years

unripe,
To frame a shrill and simple pipe,
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,

FAINTLY 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.