ILLUSTRATIONS

OP

SHAKSPEARE,

&c.

Printed by Richard Taylor and Co., 38, Shoe Lane.

OF

SHAKSPEARE,

AND OF

ANCIENT MANNERS:

WITH

DISSERTATIONS

ON THE CLOWNS AND FOOLS OF SHAKSPEARE; ON THE

COLLECTION OF POPULAR TALES ENTITLED

PRINTED FOR LONGNAN, HURST, HEES, AND ORMY.

PATERNOSTER ROW,

MDCCCVII.

PREFACE.

The practice, and also the necessity of explaining the writings of Shakspeare, have already been so ably defended by former commentators, that no other apology on the part of those who may elect to persevere in this kind of labour seems to be necessary than with regard to the qualifications of the writer : but as no one in this case perhaps ever thought, or at least should think, himself incompetent to the task assumed of instructing or amusing others, it may be as well, on the present occasion, to waive altogether such a common-place intrusion on the reader's time. It is enough to state that accident had given birth to a considerable portion of the following pages,