The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-08-23
A NEW ERA OF
SHAKESPEARE IN AMERICA!


| % .iU0n, eCtT luOiiShed.
Ediied yMe
HON: GULL4.N c. VERPLH.ArCR
ROBERT w. WEIR, Esq. will design, select
and arrange the illustrations, of which there will be
! about 400, executed on wood, in the very best
style of the modern school Of that art
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
tofore appeared-n in Illustrations, typography and
paper. The form will be royal octave, and will be
| issued in weekly parts, price ~ and half cents,
which places ii within the means of persons of the
most limited fortunes, whilst on account ofits pecu.
liar beauty it will gain itself admission into the Ii
brares of the ch and there prove to be one Of the
choicest ornaments.
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.
The Tragedy of Hamlet is now in press-The
first part will be issued in March.
PROSPECTUS.
The PICTORIAL and ILLUsTRA ATED Editions OF
SHAKESPEARE, 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
un recedented 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
trations 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 ofKnight's Pictorial G.
dition, combine with the highest merits of art and
taste, such learned and minuteaccuracy as to see
merry, costume, architecture and antiquity, SC as
make them perpetual and most instructive com
mentary upon the Poets text 1t is now proposed
to embody in an AMERICAN EDITIoN, the admi-
rabIe illustrations oiboth 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 with 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 one who belongs not solely
10 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 counry's histo-
ry, to contribute series of Oriental Designs to-
yether with such advice and assistance in other de-
tails OF art, as his taste may suggest for the lusra
ion and establishment of this publication. From
The same reason, the publisher, instead ofreprinting
he text and commentary of any popular English
IMPRESSION, was desrous that his Edition should |
iave the supervision of an American Editor This |
ask has been undertaken by GULIAN C YER
oLANCK
The plan proposed to himself by the Editor is to |
urnish the reader with carefully prepared and ac-
'uratey printed eXt,unencumbered by anynotes or
upon the page itself; as however useful |
hey may be elsewhere, they are too apt TO divert
he mind from the power of the Poets thought, and
o disturb the magic of his scene. Such notes as
nay be thought useful for the explanation or crti-
ism of the text, will be put into an Appendix to
ach play.
The text Of ofShakspeare's dramatic works, drawn
rom old printed copies in his age, which had never
assed under the aG:.iilor's own eye, was conse-
!ccitiy dsigured by many errors and absurdites.
passed during the last century through success
ion OF varying editions, until the revision of Ste
ems and Malone, whose text, (or rather that OF
tevens) has become the standard from which most
{ the English and American editions have been
rinted, with various degrees of accuracy.-But
'ithin the last twenty years, more minute and fa-
,iliar acquaintance with old English idioms, hab-
s and modes of thought, guided by an intense and
increasing admiration for Shakspeare's
enus, has led to the strong conviction that very
lany of the numerous though slight deviations
ON the ancienttext appearing in modern editions,
re useless or erroneous interpretations, sometimes
the sense, and often substituting ar
itrary monotonous metrical regularity, to the Po-
rs own native melody Accordingly, very many
these emendations have been rejected by the last
nd best English editors, especially ny. Knight and
IT. Collier, and the readings Of the old folios and
uartos have been restored, unless where some err
'r Of the press or manuscript was undenia6y man
est. Yet there are many such passages confess
'dy corrupt, requiring conjectural emendations; |
lere are also differenceof reading between the
'veral old impressions affordng grounds for some