SSB
"Vi
THE HESPERIAN
v
windows casts upon tho arched ceilings,
brownod with ago, a reflection of sombre
light which fills us with a sort of pleasing
thoughtfulnesa, as wo reverently tread tho
gray stone slabs covering tho remains of de
parted persons, and in deep meditation wo
stand boforo the gravo of Shakespeare. Tho
chancel railing keeps tho visitor without tho
continuous lino of blue grey slab stones, under
which lio the family of tho poet. To the ex
treme loft, close to tho wall, lies Shakcs
pearo's wife., next to her tho poet himself,
and inscribed an tho stone over his grave are'
the well known words which aro apt to fill
the mind of Lie visitor with a kind of horror
mingled with superstition.
"Good friend for Jesus' sake forbeare,
To digg the dust encloased hear,
Blese be ye may yt spares thcs stones
Ane curst be he yt moves my bones."
On tho left wall near what is known as
tho "American Window," rests a bust of
Shakespeare, cut by one Girard Johnson,
native of Amsterdam, supposed to bo copied
from a mask of the features taken after
death. I spent an hour in tho church ex
ploring its several nooks and corners, often
times sitting down in one of the,, straight
backed pews, lost in revery by the solemnity
of my surroundings. With regret 1 turned
my face to the door, glancing as I passed at
tho little stone font and the register which
markB to tho world its first authentic knowl
edge of tho life of William Shakespeare.
Again I slowly walked down tho avenue of
tombstones, passed through tho gate to tho
.church yard into tho street. The peaopful
Avon is only a few rods distant flowing on
to tho Severn. There is almost a deathlike
stillness everywhere, and it is only now and
tlien that tho traveler may meet any of tho
residents of Stratford in this solemn and
revered spot.
A short distance from tho intersection of
High and Bridge streets which marks tho
center of tho village, on Henry street stands
tho house, in which Shakespeare was born; a
little two story cottage built of hewn timber
and plastor. Tho windows aro small and
on tho outsido wails of tho house aro narrow
handed strips running vertically and hori
zontally. Its gonoral appoaranco has changed
moro or loss from that of its early days as it
was necessary to ropair it from time to time,
boing used for dilforont purposes by its many
owners, as their poverty required. It was
built probably about tho time of William tho
Conqueror, and was occupied by Shako
spearo's father in 1555 until 1601, when it
became the property of tho poet by descent.
From tho street one stops directly into a
room with a flag stone floor and a low coil
ing. To the right is a largo open fire-place
with a small' stone seat on oithor side, on
which no doubt many a winter evening
Shakespeare sat and dreamed, and built
pleasant visions of fancy as tho flames rolled
up tho wide chimney from the tire at his
feet. From this room I passed up an old
stairway almost worn through and stood on
a wooden floor in which tho heads of tho
nails glistened like silver. Tho plastering
on tho ceiling, which I could easily reach
with my hand, was entirely covered with
names of persons who had in former times
visited the placo. A portion of tho wall
which had thrcrtened to fall in had been
covered with a laci work of laths. In the
middle of the west wall facing tho street was
tho original window, and on its little square
panes of white glass were scratched many
names. One T noticed in particular was
"W. Scott," written by Sir Walter Scott
when on his visit to tho home of Shake
speare. Edmund ELoan had written his
name on a portion of tho chimney piece.
Tho name of Thackeray appeared on tho ceil
ing close beside that of Helen Faucet. So
also are to bo seen tho names of Charles
Dickens, Lord Byron and a host of others
who had come to do homago to so illustrious
a man. In one corner of tho room stands an
old chair and on a table to tho right of the
door as you enter is a marble bust of Shake
speare. Hero it is said Shakespeare was
born. In another room aro shown many