Shakespeare, His Times and His Conteporaries 1852 - GM Tweddell

According to Paul Tweddell, this long out of print book from 1852 by George Markham Tweddell is now on a University reading list in the USA and modern editions have appeared. Below in one of the on line or downloadable original versions for you delight.

"Since the most that is known of the personal history of  Shakespeare is but trifling, let us carefully study the history of the period in which he lived" Peter Proletarius

Tweddell explains his intentions with this book in the introduction, an extract from which is here.

" A few words...by way of preface, to my little volume lest its purport be misunderstood. Not for wealthy men of learning and leisure, who can afford to buy many books and devote much time to any favourite study, is this humble contribution to our English history intended; but for my own order, the men who never purchase books without sacrificing or other of the few comforts of life which a poor man enjoys, the men who love Literature as a benignant goddess...but must curtail their small wardrobe and pantry expenses to afford the glorious luxury of good books. I have aimed at conveying that information one eighteen penny cheap volume which has cost me the perusal of a hundred higher priced books to obtain. To give in a few hours reading a condensation or epitome of the history of Shakespeare's days...I think it is William Cobbett who gives us the shrewd advice never to write a book unless we have felt the want of such a one ourselves. I have acted upon this maxim..."  George Markham Tweddell extracted from the preface.

SHAKESPEARE - HIS TIMES AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES

George Markham Tweddell

Read on line here http://www.archive.org/stream/shaksperehistim00twedgoog#page/n2/mode/2up

Or download the PDF file from the right side of this page

http://openlibrary.org/works/OL7745056W/Shakspere_his_times_and_contemporaries

Below - a sonnet by J. G. Grant to Tweddell 1867 in which he refers to Tweddell's book on Shakespeare - although Tweddell actually included the poem in his later book (on here) The History of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.