Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-06-20
A New Era Of ShaEsneare in smer;.o,


I c. VERPL.4.NCK.
ROBT. w. WEIR, Esq will design. Sc.
iect and arrange the Illustrations, of which
there will be about 1900, executed on wood.
in the very best style Of the modern school Of
that art
In submitting the Prospectus of the Editor
to the public, the Publisher has only to add
that he will spare neither expense nor pains
70 make this edition of.the Worlds Poet, SUI
Periof to any that has heretofore appeared
N Illustrations, Typography and paper. The
torn will be royal octave, and will be issued
III weekly parts, price l91 cents, which pIa-
ces 1t within the means Of persons of the
most limited fortunes, whilst on account of
ITS pecui II beauty it will gain itself admis-
SION INTO the libraries of the rich, and there
prove to be one of the choicest ornaments
Those who wish this work in tina most per.
tect state, will only be sure of it by taking
the parts as they appear, which viii contain
the early proofs Of the Engravings.
The Tragedy of Hamlet is now in press.
Tho first part was is ued nj March.
RR0sPECTUs.
The PIcToRIAL and ILLUsTRATEn Editions
of SHAKsPEARE, lately published in England.
are amongst the most beautiful specimens Of
the recent ard remarkable improvement of
the art OF Wood Engraving, which by comb.
ming great excellence of execution with econ>
omy OF price, has given an unprecedented
diffusion to the most useful as we'll as the most
exquisite productions of the Arts of Design.
The designs Of KENNY MEADOWS for The H.
luatration of l'yas' edition of Shakespeare. ex
press the character of lie several personapes
and the spirit of the scene, with wonderful
truth aud power; whilst the wood engraving
of Knights Pictorial edition, combine with The
highest merits of art and taste, such learned
and minute accuracy as to scenery, costume,
architecture and antiquity, as to make Them
perpetual and most instructive commentary
upon the Poets text. 1t is now proposed ID
embody in an AMERItAN EDI+IoN. the adni
( rable Illustrations of both these editions, en-
] graved with equal excellence of mechanical
execution, to adp to these, other engravings
! from eminent artists, as Reynolds, Fuseli, s.
| Newton, &C., and to accompany tdem with q
| beautifully printed and correct text
! But the publisher, anxious that his country
should pay some part of the homage due from
| her TO the greatest of Poets, as to one who be-
longs not solely to England. but to all
WHO speak The tongue
| That Shakespeare spake,
| Could not content himself with mere repub-
licatiCn or compilation. He has therefore
| prevailed upon II. W. WEIR, whose reputa-
ton as Artist is already identified with his
! country's history to contribute series of ORR
gnal Designs, together with such advice and
assistance in other details of art, as his taste
may suggest. for the illustration and embel-
lishment of this publication. From the same
reason. the publisher, instead of feprinting
the text and commentary of any popular En-
glish impression, was DESTROYS that his Edition
| should have the supervision of an American
| Editor. This task has been undertaken By
GULIAN c. VERPLANCK.
The plan proposed to himself By the Edit
! or, is to furnish the reader with a carefully
prepared and accurately printed text, uneh-
numbered by any notes or comments upon
! the page itself; rs however useful they may
be elsewhere, they are too apt to divert the
mind from the power of the Poets thought;
aud to disturb the magic of his scene. Such
notes as may be thought useful for the expla-
nation or criticism of the text, will be put in
to an Appendix to each play.
The text OF Shakspeare's dramatic works,
drawn from old printed copies in his age,
which had never passed under the authors
own eye, was consequently disfgured by ma
ny errors and absurdities. 1t passed during
the last century through succession of vary
ing editions until the revision of Stevens and
Malone, whose text, Tor rather that of Ste
vens.) 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, 4
more minute and familiar acquaintance with
old English idioms, habits and modes of tho's-
guided by an intense and constantly mcreat,
ing admiration for Shakspeare's genius, has
led to the strong Conviction that very many OF
the numerous though Slight deviatons from
the ancient text, appearing in modem editions,
al ,lnt,o
times weakening the sense. and often substi
tuting an arbitrary monotonous, metrical regu-
larty, to the Poets own native melody. Ac-
cordingly, very many of these emendations
have been rejected by the last and best En-
! glish editors, especially Mr.. knight and MIR.
Collier, and the readings of the old foli6s and
quartos have been restored, unless where
some error of the press or manuscript was un-
deniably manifest. Yet there are many such
passages confessedP corrupt, and requiring
con ectural emendations: there are also off
| ferences of reading betMeen the several old
impressions affording grounds for some diver
| sity of feSt and warm controversy. between
! the more recent editors.
Upon these, the American editor thinks it
due to the character of this edition. to decide
for himself. without implicitly following the
| text of aoy one modern edition. AS the M
dustry and learning of prior editors have fur
nished the collation. Of various readings, and
the authorities upon which they may be sup
ported, the task is no longer chat of laborious
investigation, but, as it were of Judicial de-
| cision, enlig htened by contendng argument
| As many of these variations are of nearly
! equal probability. and as some Of them are
| doubtless She authors own alterations at DIFF
| ferent periods, all the more important read
ings viii be presented 70. the reader in the
notes, for his selection. Those notes will al
! SO contain SO much Of commentary as may be
| useful 70 explain antiquated words and phra-
ses, obscurely expressed passages, and allu-
sions 10 obsolete opinions. or the habits or his;
! tory of the times; the whole in as condensed
a form as practicable. But any commentary
upon Shakespeare, however Brief would be,
imperfect if it did not present some view OF
the higher criticism empoye not on the M
| depreciation OF his language, but upon his
| thoughts, his character, his poetry, PASSIONS
philosophy. The only difficulty here arises
from the abundance, the magnificent variety
| of the materials contributed during the iasr