The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-10-18
A NEW ERA OF
SHAKESPEARE IN AMERlCAf!
The Cheapest and most spiendidly Illuminated
and Illustrated Edition Of The Bard
of .qpon, eoer published. i3 liug59

and Illustrated Edition Of the Bard
of .quon, euer published. ia lfu159
EditedbyMe
HON. GULLa.N C. VERPLANCR. w
ROBERT w. WEIR, Esq. will design, select,
and arrange the illustrations, of which there will be
about 400, executed on wood, in the very best
style of the modern school OF that art. sfv yd
In submitting the Prospectus of the Editor to tho
public, the Publisher has only to add that he will
spare neither expense pains to make this edition
of the Worlds Poet, superior to any that has here
tofore appeared-in illustrations, Typography and
paper. The form will be royal octave, and VIII be-
issued in weekly parts, price IL and half cents,
which places it within the means of persons of the,
most limited fortunes, whilst on account ofits pecu.
liar beauty it will gain itself admission into the liz
braries of the ch and there prove to be one OF the
choicest ornaments.
Those who wish this work in the most perfect;
state, will only be sure OF il by taking the parts as
they appear, which will contain the early proofs.of
the Engravings. "
The Tragedy of Hamlet is now in press,-The
first part will be issued in March. ,.sa
PROSPECTUS.
The pICToRIAI. and ILLUSTRATED Editions Of
SuAKsPEARE, lately published in England, are
amongst the most beautiful specimens of the recent
and remarkable Improvement of the art OF Wood
Engraving, which by combining great excellence
of execution with economy of price, has given an
as the most exquisite productions OF the Arts Of
Design.
The designs of KENNY MEADOWS for the illus
tratons of Twas edition of Shakespeare, express the
character of the several personages, and the spirit
of the scene, with wonderful truth and power3
whilst the wood engraving OF Knights Pictorial eI
diton, combine with the highest merits OF art and
TASTE such learned and minuteaccuracy as to sce-
merry, costume, architecture and antiquity, SC as
make them perpetual and most instructive COM
mentary upon the Poets text II is now proposed
10 embody in an AMERICAN EDITION, the adml-
rable illustrations ofboth these editions, engraved
with equal excellence of mechanical execution, to-
add to these other engravings from eminent artists,
as Reynolds, Fuse, S. Newton, &C., and to ac-
company them with beautifully printed ana cor
rect text.
But the publisher, anxious that his country should
pay some part Of the homage due from her TO the
greatest of Poets, TO one who belongs not solely
10 England, but TO all ..f
WHO speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spake,
Could not content himself with mere republica-
ton or compilation. He has therefore prevailed
upon RoBERT w. WEIR, whose reputation as an
Artist is already identified with his countrys histo-
rv, to contribute a series of Oriental Designs, to-
gether with such advice and assistance in other de-
tails ofagt as his taste may suggest for the lustra-
ton and embcIli.hment of this publication. From
the same rcason the publisher, instead ofreprinting
the text and commentary of any popular English
IMPRESSION, was desirous that his Edition should
have the supervision of an American Editor. This
task has been undertaken by GULIANC c. YER
PLANCK.
The plan proposed to himself by the Editor is to
furnish the reader with carefully prepared and ac
Curately printed text, by any notes or
comments upon the page itself; as however useful
they may be elsewhere, they are too apt TO divert
the mind from the power the Poets thought, and
to disturb the magic of his scene. Such notes as
may be thought useful for the explanation or criti-
cism Of the text. will be put into an Appendix to
each play.
The text of Shakspearc's dramatic works, drawn
from old printed copies in his age, which had never
passed under the authors own eye, was conse-
quenty dsfigured by many errors and absurdities.
1t passed during the last century through success
sion of varying editions, until the revision of Ste
vens and Malone, whose text, (or rather that of
Stevens) has become the standard from which most
of the English and American editions have been
printed, with various degrees of accuracy.-But
within the last twenty years, more minute and fa-
miiar acquaintance with old English idioms, hab.
its and modes of thought guided by an intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeare's
genius, has led to the strong conviction that very
many Of the numerous though slight deviatiols
from the text, appearing in modern editions,
are useless ar erroneous interpretations, sometimes
weakening the sense, aid often substituting an ar
bltrary monotoEous, metrcal regularity, TO the Po-
els OWE native melody. Accordingly, very many
of these emendations have been rejected by the last
and best English editors, especially Mr. Knight and
Alr Collier, AID the readings of the old loos and
quartos have been restored, unless where some er-
r0r of the press or manuscript was undeniably man
iiest. Yet there are many such passages comics.
sely corrupt, requiring conjectural emendations;
there are also difference of reading between the
several old impressions aiording grounds for some
diversity OF text and warm controversy, between
the more recent editors.
Upon these, the American editor thinks it due to
the character of this edition, to decide himself,
without implicitly following the text of any one
modern edition. AS the industry and learning OF
prior editors have furnished the collation. OF various
readings, and the authorities upon which they may
be supported, the task is no longer that ofaborious
investigation, but, as it were, of Judicial decision,
enlightened by contending argument.
AS many Of these variations are of nearly equal
probability, and as some ofthem are doubtless the
authors alterations at different periods, all the
more important readings will be presented to the
reader III the notes, for his selection. Those notes
will also contain much OF commentary as may be
useful to explain antiquated words and phrases, OBJ
sCurey expressed passages and Illusions to obsolete
opinions the habits or history of the times; the
whole in as condensed form as practicable. But
any commentary upon Shakespeare, however brief.
would be imperfect il it did not present some view
Of the higher criticism employed, not on the inter-
pretation of language, but upon his thoughts,
his character, his poetry, passions, philosophy. The
only difficulty here arises from the abundance, the
the magnificent variety ofthe materials contributed
during the last half century, by the most brilliant
minds OF Europe. Still tits believed that this duty
can be satisfactorily performed, without swelling
the edition ID an incOuVenient hulk
II. w. HEWETT, Publisher,
PSI Broadway, New York.
ADMINISTRATORS SALE.
ON Monday the 4th day of Noyember 1874