grave, and the failure of her attempt through the irresolution
occasioned by her fear of disappointment.

2.--Norris, J. Parker, in the New York American Bibliopolist, of
April, 1876, vol. viii, p. 38, in the section entitled "Shakspearian
Gossip" [reprinted in the Philadelphia Press, August 4, 1876],
seriously proposes the exhumation of Shakespeare's remains, and
asks, "Is it not worth making an effort to secure 'the counterfeit
presentment' of him who wrote 'for all time'? If we could even get
a photograph of Shakspeare's skull it would be a great thing, and
would help us to make a better portrait of him than we now possess."
His courageous article is particularly useful for the adduction of
cases in which corpses have lain in the grave far longer than that
of Shakespeare, and been discovered in a state of comparative
perfection. What would one not give to look upon Shakespeare's dead
face!

The letter of "a friend residing near Stratford," from which he
gives a long extract, was from one of my present colleagues in the
Shakespeare Trust, viz.:

3.--Timmins, Sam., as quoted in the last recorded article, writes--
"Some graves of the Shakspeare date were opened at Church Lawford a
few years ago, and the figures, faces, and dresses were perfect,
but, of course, in half an hour were mere heaps of dust.
Shakspeare's grave is near the Avon, but doubtless he was buried
well (in a leaden coffin probably), and there is scarcely room for a
doubt that, with proper precautions, photographs of his face might
be taken perfectly. Surely the end does justify the means here. It
is not to satisfy mere idle curiosity. It is not mere relic-