The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-09-04
WHO speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spake,


could not content himself with mere republication or
compilation. He has therefore prevailed upon R. w.
WEIR, whose reputation Artist is already dent-
fed with his counys history, to contribute series OF
origina designs, together with such advice and asss
ance in other details of his may suggest for
the illustration and establishment of this publication.
From thesamG reason the publisher, instead ofrepinng
the text and commentary of any popular English i'm
preston, desirous that his edition should have the
supervision ofan American editor This task has been
undertaken, by GUILAN G. VERPLANCK. F.
The plan proposed to bimseby the editor, is to fur
nsh the reader with carefully prepared and accurate
| ly printed text unencumbered by any notes or COM
ments upon the page ITSELF however useful they may
be elsewhere they are too apt to divert the mind from
the power of the Poets thought, and disturb the
gc ofhis scene Such notes as may be thought nseul
for the explanation or criticism of the text,wil be
thrown into an Appendix TO each play.
The text of Shakspeare's dramatic works, drawn
from old printed copies in his age, which had never pas
sed under the authors own eye was consequently dis
figured by many errors and obscunues 1t passed du-
rng the last century through succession of varying
editions until the revision of Stevens and Malone, whose
text Cor rather that of Sevens has become the STAN
Idard from which most of the English and American
ditions have been printed with various degrees OF ac-
curacy. But within the last twenty years, m-
mute and familiar acquaintance with old English dioms
habits and modes of thought guided by intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeares ge-
MUS, has led to the strong conviction that very many
the numerous though slight deviations from the ancient
neous interpretations, sometimes weakening the sense
and often substituting arbitrary monoonous mercal
regularity for the Poets native melody. Accord
ingy very many of these emandatons have been reec-
ted by the last and best English editors especially Mr.
Knight and Mr. Collier and the readings Of the old 70
os and quaros have been restored unless where
error ofthe press manuscnptwas undeniably mani
fest. Yet there many such passages confessedly
corrupt, and requiring conjectural emendation there
are also differences Of reading between the several old
Impressions aordng grounds for some diversity Of text
and controversy between the recent editors.
Upon these, the American editor thinks it due to the
character of this edition. decide for himself without
implicitly following the text of any modern edition
AS the industry and learning of prior editors have fur
nished the collation. ofvarous readings and the authon
ties upon which they may be supported the task is no
longer that ofaborous investigation, but it were,
judicial decision enlightened by contending argument
AS many ofthese variations ofnearly equal prob
ability and some of them doubtless the authors
own alterations different periods, all the mpor
ant readings will be presented to the reaerin thenotet
for his selection Those notes will also contain
much documentary may be useful to explain anti
quated words and phrases obscurey expressed passages
and illusions to obsolete opinions the habits or his
tory of the times the whole in condensed form
practicable. But any commentary upon Shakespeare
however brief would be imperfect If il did not presen
some view of the higher criticism employed, not on the
Interpretation of his language. but upon his thoughts
his character, his poetry passions, philosophy. The
only difficulty here arises from the abundance the mag
nfcent variety, of the materials contributed during thu
last half century by the most brilliant minds of Europe
ii performed without swelling the edition to an ineonye
'p nient bulk. E.t.4
o, II. w. HEWET, Publisher,
l3ate Peas Eh' 28l BroadWay New York