AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION, VOL. 12, ISSUE 332, SEPTEMBER 20, 1828***


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THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

VOL. 12, NO. 332.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1828. [PRICE 2d.




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ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE.

[Illustration: Anne Hathaway's Cottage.]


This is another of Mr. Rider's beautiful "Views to Illustrate the Life of
SHAKSPEARE,"[1]--it being the exterior of the cottage in which the poet's
wife (whose maiden name was _Hathaway_) is said to have resided with her
parents, in the village of Shottery, about a mile from Stratford-upon-Avon.

    [1] Merridew and Rider, Warwick and Leamington, and Goodhugh,
    Oxford-street, London.

Neither the exterior nor interior of this humble abode, says Mr. Rider,
appears to have been subjected to any renovating process; and as there
exists no reasonable ground for distrusting the fact of its having been
the abode of _Anne Hathaway_, previous to her marriage with Shakspeare, it
must ever be regarded as one of the most interesting relics connected with
his history. The occupier of the cottage in July, 1827, was an old woman,
the widow of John Hathaway Taylor, whose mother was a Hathaway, and the
last of the family of that name.

[Illustration]

The widow Taylor showed Mr. Rider the old carved bedstead, mentioned by
"Ireland," and assured him she perfectly recollected his purchasing of her
mother-in-law the piece of furniture which had always been known by the
designation of _Shakspeare's Courting-Chair_. From the wood-cut of this
chair, given by Ireland in his "Views on the Avon," Mr. Rider has been
enabled to introduce it in his representation of the interior of the
cottage.

We have accordingly detached it for a vignette, and as the throne where

                        The lover,
  Sighing like furnace, with woeful ballad
  Made to his mistress' eye-brow--

it will probably be acceptable to the most enthusiastic of Shakspeare's
admirers; not doubting that scores of our lady-friends will provide
themselves with a chair of the same construction, if they would insure the
fervour and sincerity of the poet's love, or by association become more
susceptible of his inspirations of the master-passion of humanity.

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THE NOVELIST.

ANTONELLI;

_(A Tale, from the German of Goethe.)_


When I was in Italy, Antonelli, an opera-singer, was the favourite of the
Neapolitan public. Her youth, beauty, and talents insured her applause on
the stage; nor was she deficient in any quality that could render her
agreeable to a small circle of friends. She was not indifferent either
to love or praise; but her discretion was such as to enable her to enjoy
both with becoming dignity. Every young man of rank or fortune in Naples,
was eager to be numbered among her suitors; few however, met with a
favourable reception; and though she was, in the choice of her lovers,
directed chiefly by her eyes and her heart, she displayed on all
occasions a firmness, and stability of character, that never failed to
engage even such as were indifferent to her favours. I had frequent
opportunities of seeing her, being on terms of the closest intimacy with
one of her favoured admirers.

Several years were now elapsed, and she had become acquainted with a
number of gentlemen, many of whom had rendered themselves disgusting by
the extreme levity and fickleness of their manners. She had repeatedly
observed young gentlemen, whose professions of constancy and attachment
would persuade their mistress of the impossibility of their ever
deserting her, withhold their protection in those very cases where it
was most needed; or, what is still worse, incited by the temptation of
ridding themselves of a troublesome connexion, she had known them