"Please notice the bust of Shakespeare just above his

grave, and fastened to the wall. It was made by his friend Mr. Johnson, a native stone-cutter. The window above it was given by Shakespeare's admirers in America. It represents the poet's 'Seven Ages.''

Going home they passed by the fountain in Rother Square, presented by George W. Childs of Philadelphia.

The next morning the party went out after breakfast to see this celebrated town. They soon found that High Street, running nearly north and south, was crossed by Bridge and Wood Streets, running nearly west and east, thus making a cross. This intersection is near the centre of the town. The market-house is near, and the old stone bridge,

with its fourteen arches, over the Avon, not far away. A short walk westward brought them to Henly Street, where they soon found, from pictures, the house in which Shakespeare is said to have been born.1

The cottage stands near the street; and the Cartmells entered through a little porch, and came at once into a lowceilinged, flag-stoned room, with its wide fireplace, so often seen in pictures. Florence soon discovered the seat within the fireplace.

"I wonder if Shakespeare ever sat there on winter nights, and gazed into the fire and built air-castles?"

In the room above, the poet is said to have been born. "Why, see the names written everywhere!" exclaimed Nellie. 1 See p. 196.

Surely enough, every inch of the plaster bore marks of the pencil. Hundreds of names were written very close together on the chimney-piece, on the ceiling, on the great beams, and on the walls. The little panes of glass showed many names written with diamonds. Miss Gray soon found W. Scott among the number. George found Byron; Fred, Dickens; and Mrs. Cartmell discovered Thackeray.

In the Shakespearian Museum on the ground floor, Mr. Cartmell called the attention of his children to the old schooldesk from the ancient grammar school at which Shakespeare may have studied "small Latin and less Greek." He showed them a seal ring, on which, engraved, appear the letters W. S. It was found in a field near Stratford Church, and many persons think that it once belonged to Shakespeare.

In the garden at the back of the house Mr. French and Miss Gray found growing pansies, rosemary, fennel, columbine, rue, daisies, violets, and other flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's writings.

"Where is New Place?" Mrs. Cartmell inquired.

Mr. Cartmell answered by directing the questioner and the others to the place.

"Why are we going there, papa?" Florence inquired. "Because it was the home of Shakespeare at the time of his mature manhood and when he died."

"But where is the house?" Nellie asked when New Place was reached.

"The house was owned over one hundred years later by one Rev. Mr. Gastrell, who became so provoked at the many strangers who would come and sit in his garden under Shakespeare's old mulberry-tree, he cut this precious tree down. The villagers took their revenge by breaking his windows. He then pulled the house down, and moved away. Here you

can see a few of the stones which were the foundations of the old house."

The garden to the house was not very large. The lawn was perfect; mulberry and other trees grew there; roses filled the air with rich perfume. The square tower of the Chapel of the Holy Guild looked down upon the scene, as it did three hundred years before, in Shakespeare's life.

6

"It is believed," said Miss Gray, "that The Tempest,' "The Winter's Tale,' and 'Henry the Eighth' were written in this place."

In the afternoon the Cartmells all walked over the footpath through the fields to Shottery, about a mile distant. Here, beneath the elms, and surrounded by roses and vines, they saw the cottage where young Shakespeare wooed and won his bride, Anne Hathaway. This cottage is covered now, as then, with a thatch roof.

Entering the parlor they saw a stone floor, a wide fireplace, and near it an old wooden settle. George and Florence sat on the settle, and imagined themselves William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway.

Mr. Cartmell asked how many knew the ages of these noted lovers when married.

Miss Gray said,

"I believe Anne was much older."

"Yes; she was twenty-six, and Will Shakespeare only eighteen, a boy lover."

"To this room," said Mr. French, "the poet may often have come home from his labors in London; for here probably his wife lived when Shakespeare was seeking his fortune as player and writer in the great city."

LESSON XV

IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ENGLAND

Ir was a delightful trip of about eight miles along the eastern bank of the Avon to Warwick.

Mr. Cartmell drove

very slowly in order that his family might enjoy the lovely

scenes ever presenting themselves. Long before Warwick was reached, the tall spire of the principal church was seen high above the roofs of the houses. The best view of the