The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-07-10
WHO speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spake,

could content himsefwith mere republication or
compilation. He has therefore prevailed upon r. w.
WEIR, whose reputation Artist is already identi-
fed with his countys history, to contribute series OF
original designs together with such advice and asss
ance in other details of his may suggest for
the illustration and establishment of this publication.
From the same the publisher instead ofreprnng
the text and commentary Of any popular English i'm
pression desrous that his edition should have the
supervision ofan American editor This task has been
undertaken, by GUILAN c. VERPLANCK.
The plan proposed to hinselfby the editor, to fur
nish the reader with carefully prepared and accurate
y printed text, unencumbered by any notes or COM
mens upon the page itself; however useful they may
be elsewhere, they apt to divert the mind from
the power of the Poets thought and to disturb the ma
gic ofhs Such notes may be thought nsetul
for the explanation criticism of the twill 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 and obscuities. 1t passed du
ring the last century through succession of varying
editions until the revision of Stevens and Maone whose
text Cor rather that ofStevens) has become the STAN
dard from which most of the English and American e.
dions have been printed with various degrees of ac-
curacy But within the last twenty years, more mi
mute and familiar acquaintance with old English idoms
habits and modes of thought guided by intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeares ge-
MUS has led to the strong conviction hatvery many Of
the numerous though slight deviations from the ancient
neous interpolatons sometimes weakening the sense
and often substituting arbitrary monotonous merical
regularity for the Poets own native melody. Accord
ngly 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 o
hos and ouaros have been restored unless where some
error ofthe press or manuscript undenably mani
fest Yet there many such passages coniessedly
corrupt, and requiring conectural emendahon; there
are also differences of reading between the several old
Impressions aording grounds for diversity OF text
and warm controversy between the recent editors.
Upon these the American editor thinks 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
nsed the collation. ofvarious readings and the author
ties upon which they may be supported, the task is
longer that ofaborious investigations but, it of
judicial decision enlightened by contendng argument.
As many these variations ofnearly equal prob
ability and as some of them doubtless the authors
own alterations different periods, all the impor
tant readings will be presented to the reaGerin the
for his own 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 as
practicable. But any commentary upon Shakespeare,
however brief would be imperfect if it did not present
view of the higher criticism employed, not the
Interpretation of his language. but upon his thoughts,
his character, his poetry passions; phiosophy. Inc
only difficulty here arises from the abundance the mag
nfcent variety of the materials contributed during the
last half century by the most brilliant minds OF Europe
Still il is believed that this duty be satisfactorily
performed without swelling the edition to an inconve-
nient bulk.
H.. w. HEWET, Publisher,
28l Broadway, New York.