yards nearer the town is the "White Swan," reminding the stranger of Garrick's ode silver Avon, in song ever flow; Be the swan on thy bosom still whiter than snow." Whether the enthusiastic actor's aspiration has been realised or not, the swans on the Avon are sufficiently white and stately, and numerous too. But this is by the way. Our tourist will at this point pass the Rother (Cattle) Market, a fine spacious street in which the principal building is Mr. Knight's Shakespearian Needle Works (!) Leaving Henley Street, where Shakespeare's birthplace stands, on the left hand pro temp., and proceeding in the usual course along Wood Street, Bridge Street comes in sight. This is an admirable thoroughfare one of the broadest to be found in any town of similar size and population. The topof it, where five streets converge, has been chosen for the Shakespeare Monument an excellent situation. The principal hotel of the town-"The Red Horse "-is kept by Mr. Lowry, in this street. It is a large and wellmanaged establishment, favourably known to many travellers and tourists, particularly Americans, from the complimentary references made to it in the charming "Sketch Book" of Washington Irving. Having glanced towards the bridge which spans the Avon, erected by Sir Hugh Clopton, in the reign of Henry VII., the visitor may turn to the right into the principal business thoroughfare High Street. Here he will notice on the left "the Shakespearian bookbinding and printing establishment," opposite to Mr. Adams's Shakespearian book and print warehouse and the Stratford Herald office, where he may also inspect nearly every article to which the name of Shakespeare has been attached by the most ingenious contrivers of bijouterie. A few yards further on he must be attracted by a splendid specimen of Elizabethan street architecture, bearing date 1597. This house, with its fine old carved oaken front, was certainly a familiar object to Shakespeare. It is now in the possession of Mr. Williams, who is engaged in the occupation of a STRATFORD: A WALK THROUGH THE TOWN. 61 glover. A number of relics of Shakespeare, and autographs of distinguished visitors to the birthplace, are to be seen at Mrs. James's, corner of Ely Street. Proceeding a few yards, towards the left side of the way, the eye will catch the life-size statue of the great poet in a niche of the Town Hall gable. This is the statue presented by Garrick to the Corporation, when the building was reconstructed, and dedicated to Shakespeare nearly a hundred years ago. The poet is represented in the same attitude as on the cenotaph in Westminster Abbey, resting on some volumes placed on a pedestal, where appear the busts of Henry V., Richard III., and Queen Elizabeth. He points to a scroll on which are the following lines taken from the "Midsummer Night's Dream." "The Poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven, And, as imagination bodies forth The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name." · On the upper border of the plinth are these words: "Take him for all in all, We shall not look upon his like again." On the plinth is the following inscription: "THE CORPORATION AND INHABITANTS OF STRATFORD, The substantial stone building, which is of the Tuscan order, underwent extensive alterations and improvements prior to the Tercentenary Festival, according to the plans of Messrs. Hawkes, Architect, Birmingham. The doorway is now under the Shakespeare statue, in the gable instead of being as formerly in the front street. A spacious apartment has been formed on the ground floor, which will be used for public meetings and in transacting the business of the Corporation. Another smaller apartment has been constructed parallel with the principal room in the upper story, which is approached by three flights of solid oaken stairs. The visitor passes from the smaller hall through a very handsome archway, supported by Corinthian pillars, into the main assembly room or the Shakespeare Hall. The floors are of oak, and, like the majority of the ancient buildings in Stratford, oak enters largely into the structure. The size of the hall is 60 ft. by 30 ft. in breadth and height. The stucco decorations and cut glass gasaliers give it a handsome appearance, but its chief decorations are the life-size portraits of Shakespeare, by Wilson; the "British Roscius," by Gainsborough (a splendid picture); The Duke of Dorset, who was Lord of the Manor, and High Steward of the Borough in 1769 (the year of the jubilee); and, on the same side of the room, a full-length painting of Queen Anne, which formerly belonged to Stratford College, and was purchased and placed here a short time before that building was taken down. The view of the hall in the Illustrated London News will convey a very correct idea of its splendid appearance during the late exhibition of paintings which formed so attractive a feature in the celebration. not The Shakespeare Hotel, above referred to, adjoining the Town Hall, is an ancient hostelry, with oaken stairs and floors and many marks of antiquity. The rooms are entitled and known by names derived from Shakespeare's plays, which are placed above each door. On the left of the spacious hall is the commercial room, inappropriately named "The Tempest;" opposite it is a private coffee room, called "As You Like It." Romeo and Juliet," "Taming of the Shrew," "Midsummer Night's Dream," and "Love's Labour's Lost," are sleeping apartments. In the hall stands an antique clock, which is stated to have belonged to Shakespeare, enclosed in an extra glass case to preserve it from "decay's effacing fingers." 66 Leaving "The Shakespeare," the next Shakespearian object of attraction is the site of New Place, where stood the poet's dwelling. It is situated at quite an interesting corner. |