The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and
Instruction., by Various

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction.
Volume X, No. 280, Saturday, October 27, 1827.

Author: Various

Release Date: February 29, 2004 [EBook #11369]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MIRROR OF LITERATURE, NO. 280 ***

Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Keith M. Eckrich, David Garcia and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

VOL. X, NO. 280.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1827. [PRICE 2d.

Illustrations of Shakspeare.

* * * * *

NO. XIII. ELSINEUR, FROM HAMLET'S GARDEN.

* * * * *

[Illustration: ELSINEUR, FROM HAMLET'S GARDEN.]

We augur that the above will prove one of the most interesting of our
Shakspearian Illustrations, inasmuch as the garden where Hamlet was
wont to revel in the fitful dreams of his philosophic melancholy, is
holy ground. "The lapse of ages and the fables of the poet," says a
delighted visiter, "were all lost in the reality of Shakspeare's
painting: the moment of his scene seemed present with me; and eager to
traverse every part of this consecrated ground, I had already followed
Hamlet every where; I had measured the deep shadows of the platform,
encountered the grey ghost of the Royal Dane, had killed Polonius in
the queen's closet, and drowned poor Ophelia in the willowed stream.
The modern aspect of Elsineur is, however, far from inviting, and not
a single vestige presents itself that bears the smallest trace of this
town ever having been hallowed by the mausoleum of an Ophelia, or
proudly decorated with the stately walls of a royal palace."

About a mile from the town is a place that bears the name of Hamlet's
garden. Here is no relic of ancient interest, excepting the tradition,
which affirms that to be the spot where once stood the Danish palace,
and where was enacted that tragedy, which has been so gloriously
immortalized by the genius of our great dramatic bard.

The present edifice is erected on the