The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-11-22
ssit stA ita A NEW ERA Of ha9slOi
10 SHAKESPEARE INaAMERICA!o4
The Cheapest and most spiendidiy Hlum,nafed
~. and Illustrated Edition of fhe Bard /.

II
and illustrated Edition Of fhe Bard 4.
Of .auon, eUer published. ''ss1ii.'L3
'fH lhii' Edited BY the 9tif ;tE9i.lHl
HON. GJLLdN C. TERPL-d.NCK. ,f
ROBERT w. WEIR, Esq will design, select,
and arrange the illustrations, (which there will be
about 400, executed on wood, in the very best
style of the modern school of that art. ,s,. !.
In submitting the Prospectus Of the Editor to the
public, the Publisher has only to add that he will
spare neither expense nor pains to make this edition
Of the Worlds Poet, superior to any that has here
4 tofore appeared-in illustrations, typography and
paper. The form will be royal octave, and will be
issued in weekly parts, price IL and half cents,
which places it within the means Of persons of the
most limited fortunes, whilst account ofits pecu-
liar beauty it will gain itself admission into the IL
brares Of the rich and there prove to be OF the
choicest ornaments. uf n
| Those who wish this work in the most perfect
state, will only be sure OF il by taking the parts as
they appear which will contain the early proofs Of
| the Engravings 'lsG f
The Tragedy of Hamlet is now in press.-The
| first part will be issued in March.
| PROSPECTUS. GJ
The PICTORIAL and ILLUSTRATED Editions OF
SHAKsPEARE, lately published in England, are
amongst the most beautiful specimens of the recent
and remarkable Improvement of the art of Wood
Engraving, which by combining great excellence
of execution with economy Of price, has given an
Unprecedented diffusion to the most useful as well
as the most exquisite productions of the Arts of
Design.
The designs of KENNY MEADOWS for the illus
tratios of Tyas edition Of Shakespeare express the
character of the several personages and the spirit
of the scene, with wonderful truth and power;
whilst the wood engraving of Knights Pictorial e.
dition, combine with the highest merits of art and
taste, such learned and minuteaccuracy 10 see
merry, costume, architecture and antiquity, SC as
| ala nal am mr. IF
mentary upon the Poets text. II is now proposed
| to embody in an AMERICAN EDITION, the admi-
rabe illustrations fboth these editions, engraved
with equal excellence of mechanical execution, to
add to these, other engravings from eminent artists
as Reynolds, Fuseli, S. Newton, &c., and to ac-
company them witt, a beautifully printed aud 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 who belongs not solely
| TO England, but to all
WHO speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spake,
Could not content himself with mere republica-
ton compilation. He has therefore prevailed
upon ROBERT w. WEIR, whose reputation as an
Artist is already identified with his country's histo-
ry, to contribute a series of Oriental Designs, to-
gether with such advice and assistance in other de-
tails of art, as his taste may suggest for the ilustra
ton and establishment of this publication. From
the reason the publisher instead ofreprinting
the text and commentary of any popular English
impression, was desrous that his Edition should
have the supervision of an American Editor. This
task has been undertaken by GULIAN c. YER
PLANCK
| The plan proposed to himself by the Editor is to
furnish the reader with carefully prepared and ac-
curatey printed text, by any notes or
comments upon the page itself; as however useful
they may 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 explanation or criti-
cism of the text, will be put into an Appendix to
each play.
TIE teAt Of Shakspeare's dramatic works, drawn
from old printed copies in his aye, which hadnever
passed under the authors own eye, was conse-
quenty disfgured by many errors and absurdtes.
1t tpassed during the last century through a 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 ia
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 text, appearing in modern editions
are useless CT erroneous interpretations, sometimes
weakening the sense, aud often substituting ar
btrary moDotonous, metrical 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, aud the readings of the old folios and
quartos have been restored, unless where some er-
ror Of the press or manuscript was undeniaby man.
iiest. Yet there are many such passages confess
sedy corrupt, requiring conjectural emendations;
there are also difference of reading between the
several old impressions affording grounds for some
diversity of text and warm controversy, between
the more recent editors.
Upon these, the American editor thinks it due to
the character of this edition, to decide himself,
without implicitly following the text of any one
modern edition. AS the industry and learning OF
prior editors have furnished the collation. ofvarious
readings, and the authorities upon which they may
be supported, the task is no longer that ofaborious
investigation, but, as il were, of judicial decision,
enlightened by contending argument.
As many of these variations are Of nearly equal
probability, and as some ofthem are doubtless the
authors own alterations at different periods, all the
more important readings will be presented to the
reader in the notes. for his selection. Those notes
will also contain SO much Of commentary as may be
useful to explain antiquated words and phrases OBJ
scurey expressed passages and illusions to obsolete
opinions, the habits or history of the times; the
whole in as condensed a form as practicable. But
any commentary upon Shakespeare, however brief.
would be imperfect il it did not present some view
Of the higher criticism employed not the inter.
probation of his language, but upon his thoughts,
his character, his poetry passions, philosophy. The
only difficulty here arises from the abundance, the
the magnificent variety of the materials contributed
during the last half century, by the most brilliant
minds Of Europe. Still ii believed that this duty
can be satisfactorily performed, without swelling
the edition to an inconvenent bulk
H. w. HEWETT, Publisher,
2Sl Broadway, New York.
HN ~