Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-06-13
A Nsw Era G SHAKESPEARE i'll America.

Tie Cheapest cnd most gpiendidly IL
Eliminated end Illustrated Edition Of
tie Bard Of .4pon, erey published.
9dited By The HON. GULL4N
G. TERPL.aN'CK.
ROBT. w. WEIR, Esq will design, Sc
ect, aud arrange the illustrations, Of which
there viii be about 400, executed on wood,
in the very best style Of the modern school Of
that art
liz submitting tie Prospectus Of the Editor
to the public. the Publisher has only to add
that lie will spare neither expense nor pains
to make this edition Of the Worlds Poet, su-
perior to any that has heretofore appeared
in illustrations. Typography and paper. The
form will be royal octave, and will be issued
in weekly parts, price l@@ cents, which pla-
ces It within the means OF persons OF the
most limited fortunes, whilst on account OF
It's peculi i beauty it will gam itself adInis-
sion into the libraries of the rich, and there
prove to be one of The choicest ornaments
Those who wish this work i'll tia most per-
feet state, viii only be sure Of Il BY taking
the parts as they appear, which will contain
the early proofs Of the Engrayings.
The Tragedy of Hamlet is now in press.
Tho first part was issued in March.
PROSPECTUS.
Tie PlcTnRIAL and ILLUSTRATIVE Editions
Of SHAKsPrAPE, lately Published in England,
are amongst the most beautiful specimens Of
the recent and rcwarda5lc improvement of
the art of Wood Engraving, which by comb-
ming great excellence of execution with econ~
onLy Of price, has given an unprecedented
diffusion 10 the most useful as well as the most
exquisite product CHS Of the Arts of Design.
The designs Of kEsNY MEsuows for the Il
hot # S,I,.
press the character of he several personages
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, to make them
perpetual and most instructive commentary
upon the Poets text. 1t is now proposed to
. embody in All AMEnICAN EDITION, the adni-
rable illustrations of both these editions, en-
graved with equal excellence of mechanical
execution, to adp TO these, cr engravings
from eminent artists, as Reynolds, Fuseli, s.
Newton, &C., and to accompany tdem with
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 enc who be.
longs not solely to England, but to all
WHO speak the tongue
That Shakespeare .spake,
Could not content himself with mere repub-
| lcaticn or compilation. He has therefore
| prevailed upon r. w. WEIR, whose reuuta-
ton as an Artist is already identified with his
Country's history, to contribute series of ORR
| ginal Designs, together with suc 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 reprintinet
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 bv
! GULIAN C. VERPLANCk.
The plan proposed to himself by the Edit.
or, is to furnish the reader with carefully
prepared and accurately printed text, unen-
numbered By any notes or comments upon
the page itself; rs however useful they NAV
be elsewhere, they are 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 expla-
nation or criticism of the text will be put in
to an Appendix 10 each play.
/ The text OF Shakspeare's drama tic works.
drawn from old printed copies in his age,
which had never passed under the authors
own eye, was consequently diSigured by ma
{
/ the last century through a succession of vary.
ing editions until the revision of Stevens and
Malone, whose text, Cor rather that of Ste,
yens.) 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 wears. a
more minute and familiar acquaintance with
old English idioms, habits and modes of tbo's-
guided by an intense and constantly .increat.
| ing admiration for Shakspeare's genius, h: =
( led to the strong conviction that very many of
the numerous though slight devatons from
! the ancient text, appearing in modern editions,
are useless OF erroneous interpretations, some
times weakening the sense, and often subSti
tutlng an arbitrary, m0notonous, metrical regu-
larlty, 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 folios and
quartos have been restored. unless where
some error oi The press or manuscript was IN
deDAby manifest. Yet there are many such
Passages contessedlr corrupt, and requiring
conjectural cancellations: there are also diff
fcrences Of reading betMecn the several old
Impressions affordDg grounds for some diver
sity Of text and warm controversy, between
the more recent editors.
Upon these, the American editor thinks K
due to the character of this edition, TO decide
for himself without implicitly following the
text of aoy one modern edition. As the in
dustry and learning of prior editors have fur.
nshed the collation. Of various readings, and
The authorities upon which they may be sup
ported, the task is no longer that Of laborious
investigation. but, as it were. of iudicixr de-
cison, enlightened by contendng argument
AS man! OF these variations are Of nearly
equal probability. and as some of them are.
doubtless the authors own alterations at dit
ierent periods, all the more important read
lngs viii be presented to the reader in the
notes for his selection. Those notes will al
50 contain 50 much of commentary as may be
aseh' 10 explain antiquated words and phra-
SEES obscurely expressed passages, ana allrs
SONS 10 obsolete opinions, or the habits or his.
'ory q tte times; tie whole in as condensed