The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-07-26

dition, combine with the highest merits Of art and
taste such learned and minuteaccuracy as 10 see.
lnery, costume, architecture and antiquity, as.to
| make them perpetual and most instructive COM
mentary upon the Poets text. II Ii now proposed
to embody in an AMERICAN EDITIoN, the admi-
rable illustrations ofboth these editions engraved
with equal excellence Of mechanical execution, to
add to these, other engravngs from eminent artstss
as REYNOLDS, Fuseli, 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, as TO one who belongs not solely
TO England, but to all
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 country hsto-
ry, to contribute series of Oriental Designs, to-
gether with such advice and assistance in other de-
tails ofart, his taste may suggest for the iustra-
ton and establishment Of this publication. From
the same reason 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
PLANCK. al'3 = ea@.
The plan proposed to himself by the Editor is to
furnish the reader with carefully prepared and ac-
curately printed text t,unencumbered by any notes or
comments upon the page itself; as however useful
they may be elsewhere, they too apt to divert
the mind from the power of the Poets thought, and
to disturb the magic Of his scene Such notes as
may be thought useful for the explanation OF criti-
cism of the text, will be put into an Appendix to
each play. sl tr5.st ,l
The text OF Shakspeares dramatic works, drawn
from old printed copies in his age, which hadnever
passed under the authors own eye, was conse-
quently disfgured by many errors and absurdities.
II passed during the last century through success
sion of varying editions, until the revision of Ste
vens and Malone, whose text, Tor 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-
miliar acquaintance with old English idioms, hab-
its and modes of thought, guided by an intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeare's
genus has led to the strong conviction that very
many of the numerous though slight deviations
from the ancient text, appearing in modern editions,
are useless or erroneous interpretations, sometimes
weakening the sense, and often substituting an ar
bitrary monotonous, metrcal regularity, to the Po-
cts own native melody. Accordingly, very many
of these enendatons have been rejected by the last
and best English editors, especially Mr. Knight and
Mr. Collier, and the readings of the old folos and
quartos have been restored, unless where some err
of the press or manuscript was undeniably man
ifest. Yet there are many such passages confess
sedly corrupt, requiring conjectural emendations;
there are also difference of reading between the
several old impressions afording grounds for some
diversity oftext and warm controversy, between
the more recent editors ,l !. =
Upon these the American editor thinks II dine IN
the character of this edition, to decide himself,
without implicitly following the text of any one
modern edition. As the industry and learning of
prier editors have furnished the collation. various
readings, and the authorities upon which theym
be supported, the task is no longer that oflaborous
Investigation, but, as it were, Of judicial decision,
enlightened by contending argument 3g
AS many of these variations are of nearly equal
and as some ofthem are doubtless the
authors own alterations at different periods all the
more important readings will be presented to the
eader in the notes, for his selection Those notes
will also contain so much OF commentary as may be
Useful to explain antquated words and phrases, OBJ
curely expressed passages and illusions to obsolete
opinions, the habits history Of the times; the
whole in as condensed form as practicable. But
my commentary upon Shakespeare, however brief.
would be imperfect il it did not present some view
# the higher criticism employed, not on the inter-
,retation of his language, but upon his thoughts,
lis character his poetry, passions. philosophy The
,ny difficulty here arises from the abundance, the
he magnificent variety of the materials contributed
Turing the last half century, by the most brilliant
minds of Europe. Still tits believed that this duty
an be satisfactorily performed, without swelling
he edition to an inconvenient bulk. tslN
H. w. HEWETT, Publisher, ~.
PSI Broadway, New York.