CONTENTS. The CHANDOS HEAD, engraved by Mr. Scriven, from the late Mr. Ozias Humphry's Drawing, made for Mr. Malone in the year 1783 The Portrait by Cornelius Jansen, engraved by ancient Poem, with Illustrations, and an in- quiry as to its real author Additional Remarks on the Portrait by Cornelius 188 CALFORNIA INTRODUCTION. ཝཱ THE interest excited by our greatest poet extends beyond his writings. Shakspeare's com mentators have made the most skilful researches to ascertain the incidents of his life. The late Mr. Malone, in particular, was fortunate enough to correct much error on this subject, and to leave the few particulars we have of his family and himself proved by documents, which will hardly now be disputed. Unfortunately the life of the poet by that gentleman was left unfinished-he conducted him only to the period of his quitting Stratford; and the remaining sec tion, which should have been devoted to his appearance in London, is occupied by the essay on the chronology of his dramas. I am little disposed to blame his editor for not giving that ⚫ for which he received no materials, but the many conversations which I had the honour and happiness to hold with Mr. Malone upon this subject, B (some of which I see he very flatteringly remembered) convince me that, though he left no record, he had accumulated much; and that he could have proceeded to the very end of the poet's existence, and have poured forth at every period, abundance of new fact, or refutation of long established mistake. The commentators, while they inquired after the actor and the poet, did not altogether neglect his personal resemblance. But very unfortunately, they conducted the latter inquiry in a way little likely to lead to certainty. They usually worked themselves up to the feeling of partizans rather than that of inquirers, and determined to see no marks of authenticity out of the frame of their favourite portrait. But the few pictures, that have any claim to be considered, being already of great age, and having sustained much injury, it becomes a duty in the poet's worshippers, to settle, if possible, the person of their divinity; and not leave posterity to a wretched indecision, among hundreds of copies and pretended originals, in which the true pictures are debased, and the nation in |