John Harvard and his times . th the Bankside at South-wark. In 1596 he had a lodging near the BearGarden in that neighbourhood, and when thefamous Globe Theatre was built in 1599, hisimmediate interests became more and morecentred in the district. For not only was thestage of that theatre occupied chiefly by Shake-speares company, but he also soon acquiredno inconsiderable share in its profits. It will beseen, then, that from 1596 onwards it is beyondquestion that Shakespeare was intimately asso-ciated with Southwark, and up to the year 1611,when he practically retired to Stratford-on-Avon,thi
John Harvard and his times . th the Bankside at South-wark. In 1596 he had a lodging near the BearGarden in that neighbourhood, and when thefamous Globe Theatre was built in 1599, hisimmediate interests became more and morecentred in the district. For not only was thestage of that theatre occupied chiefly by Shake-speares company, but he also soon acquiredno inconsiderable share in its profits. It will beseen, then, that from 1596 onwards it is beyondquestion that Shakespeare was intimately asso-ciated with Southwark, and up to the year 1611,when he practically retired to Stratford-on-Avon,this district undoubtedly saw more of him thanany other in the whole of London. Not farfrom the Globe Theatre, it should be remem-bered, stood the home of Robert Harvard. Presuming, however, that Robert Harvardwas a Puritan, what chance would he have ofmaking the acquaintance of a play-actorsuch as William Shakespeare ? On the onehand, it is no doubt true that the poets refer-ences to Puritans in his plays are so uniformly 68. PARENTAGE discourteous that they must be judged to reflecthis personal feeling; and on the other, it iswell known that the theatre was regarded bymost of the Puritans with abhorrence. Toeach of these statements, however, an excep-tion can be proved: Shakespeare is known tohave entertained a Puritan minister in his homeat Stratford, which may reasonably be regardedas a proof that he found individual Puritanstolerable; and that some Puritans looked uponthe theatre with no ill will may be inferred fromthe example of John Milton among from the fact that Comus and Sam-son Agonistes might be adduced as qualifyinghim for inclusion among the playwriters, nopoet had excelled Milton, ardent Puritanthough he was, in praise of Shakespeare. What needs my Shakespeare for his honoured bonesThe labour of an age in piled stones ?Or that his hallowed reliques should be hidUnder a star-y-pointing pyramid ?Dear Son of Memory, great heir of needst thou suc
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