The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-01 00:00:00

THE SHAKSPEARE SOCIETY.

The first publication, or rather the first work issued
by the Shakspeare Society, was delivered on Friday
to such members as have paid their subscriptions. It
has for title " Memoirs of Edward Alleyn, founder of
Dulwich College," a most distinguished and prosperous
actor in the reigns of Elizabeth and James 1., and, con-
sequently, contemporary with Shakspeare, Ben Jon-
son, Massinger, Marston Dekker, Heyvvood, &c. Re-
spect:ng these and others the volume contains much
new and interesting information. It has been compiled
by Mr. J. Payne Collier, from original manuscripts
preserved at Dulwich College, of the existence of most
of which, until recently, nobody seems to have been
aware. They most curiously and authentically illus-
trate the condition of our stage, and of dramatic poetry,
at the period when it reached its utmost perfection,
besides affording a number of particulars hitherto en-
tirely unknown respecting Alleyn himself and his family.
Several points of Shakspeare's life are touched
upon in the " Memoirs' regarding which the infor-
mation is entirely new. First he is mentioned in some
verses sent to Alleyn, probably about the year 1592,
in which Bentley, Knell, Iternpe,' Phillips,, Pope, Bur-
beige, great-,actors otbur grea,actors of the "slay =are named.
Next, it is shown that Shakspearo was acting in Con-
cert with: Henslow's company, at the very time when
the old Hamlet, the old Taming Va Shrew, the old
Henry V., &c. (which Shakspeare used in the subse-
quent composition of his own dramas) were in course
of public performance. Thirdly, we have an original
letter from Mrs. Alleyn to her husbaud, in which
Shakspeare is introduced by name. Fourthly, it is
established that Shakspeare was upon the stage at a
period considerably subsequent to the usually assigned
date ; and in the fifth place, evidence is produced to
show that Alleyn was the purchaser of Shakspeare's
interest and property in the Blackfriars theatre at the
time when the latter retired from London to Stratford-
upon-Avon.
These are matters of much value in relation to the
life of our greatest dramatist. Then as to Ben Joeson,
besides verses in his hand-writing, we have the fact as-
certained that be killed Gabriel Spencer, a fellow actor,
;n the year 1758, in the duel he is known to have
`ought in Boston-fields. Malone proved that Massin-
.4er was in pecuniary difficulties in 1613, but docu-
ments are now before the public (or more strictly speak-
ng, before the members of the Shakspearian Society),
which afford evidence of that poet's distresses two years
Afterwards. Marston is shown, under his own hand,
'o have written a play on the adventures of Colum-
-1:eul sa
relating
and t twoh
his
original
letters from Dekker to Alleys
circumstances, and inclosing a panegyric
.n ate. Theviverse, areinjtle page ei
t.cdien the course of Mr. Collier's nat..
makes no mention of Lodge or
Stephen Gosson, but the information relating to these
liqinguished literary men is even fuller than that re-
tarding several others who are rendered more pro-
mit cut.
The whole of the preceding information, it will be
)bservcd, is independent of any facts connected with
the life of Alleyn and his foundation of Dulwich Cul-
important, even to the remarkable
ege. Nearly the whole of these (singulir as it may
circumstance of his desire to be knighted in his latter
years, with a view perhaps to gratify the vanity of his
,ppear) are new and
seconds wife, Constance Donne, the daughter of the
celebrated poet and divine.—Morning Chronicle.

Potlilicee-eoffice, to show
wereC
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summoned
A toT gentlemen
aSrn. ---b e ut
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cause why they refused to pay a rate levied by the parish
of St. Leonard's, Bromley. Two of the three, on rcliT
gious grounds, refuted to pay, preferring to let the law
4ivit its course' Os ether paid the rate,