The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-08-14
WHO speak the tongue
THAT Shnksneare snake,

could not content himself with mere republication or
compilation. He has therefore prevailed upon r. w.
WEIR whose reputation as an Artist already ldentl-
fed with his countys history to contribute seneso
original designs, together with such advice and ass-
tance in oherdetas Off his taste may suggest for
the Illustration and establishment Of this publication
From the the publisher, instead ofreprintng
the text and commentary of any popular English i'm
pession, was desirous that his edition should have the
supervision ofan American editor This task has been
undertaken, by GUILAN C. VERPLANCK.
The plan proposed to himsclfby the editor, is to fur
nish the reader with carefully prepared and accurate
iy printed text, unencumbered by any notes or COM
nents upon the page itself; howeverusetu they may
be elsewhere, they too apt to divert the mind from
the power of the Poets thought and to disturb the ma
gic ofhs Such notes may be thought nselul
for the explanation criticism Of the text,will be
thrown into an Appendix to each play
The text of Shakspeares dramatic works, drawn
from old printed copies in his age which had never pas
sed under the authors eye, was consequently dis
figured by many errors and obscuties 1t passed du-
ring the last century through succession OF varying
editions until the revision of Stevens and Malone, whose
Cor rather that ofStevens) has become the stan
dard from which most of the English and American G.
ditions have been pned4 with various degrees OF ac-
curacy But within the last twenty years, more MI
mute and familiar acquaintance with old English dioms
habits and modes Of thought, guided by an intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeares ge-
MUS, has led to the strong conviction that very many OF
the numerous though slight devlaons from the ancient
text appearing in modern editions, useless erro
Ineous interpretations, sometimes weakening the
and often substituting arbitrary monotonous mercal
regularity for the Poets own native melody. Accord
ingIy very many of these emandaons have been reec
ted by the last and best English editors especially Mr.
Knight and Mr.. Collier, and the readings of the old fo
hos and quaros have been restored, unless where
error ofthe press or manuscnptwas undenably mani
fest. Yet there are many such passages conessedy
corrupt, and requiring conjectura emendaton; there
are also differences of reading between the several old
impressions, aordng grounds forsome 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. ofvarious readings and the autho
ties upon which they may be supported, the task is no
longer that ofaborous investigations but, it were,
judicial decision enlightened by conending argument
As many ofthese variations ofnearly equal prob
ability and as some of them doubtless the authors
own alterations at different periods all the more impor
an readings will be presented to the reaGerin the notes
for his own selection Those notes will also contain
much documentary as may be useful to explain anti
uated words and phrases obscrey expressed passages
and illusions to obsolete opinions or the habits or his
. tory of the times the whole in condensed form
practicable. But any commentary upon Shakespeare,
however BRIEF would be imperfect il did not present
some view Of the higher criticism employed, notion the
Interpretation Of his language. but upon his thoughts,
his character, his poetry, passions philosophy. The
only difficulty here arises from hoabundance, the mag
nfcent variety of the materials contributed during the
last half century by the most brilliant minds Of Europe
o Still it is believed that this duty be satisfactorily
& performed without swelling the edition 70 an nconve-
le nient bulk,
N H. w. HEWET, Publisher,
j 2Sl Broadway, New York