The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-09-20
A NEW ERA OF
SHAKESPEARE IN AMERICA!


OF .dcOn, eDeT puOHShed.
Edited by the
ROBERT w. WEIR, Esq will design, select
and arrange the illustrations, of which there will b.
about 400, executed on wood, in the very bes
style of the modern school of that art.
In submitting the Prospectus of the Editor to tht
public, the Publisher has only to add that he viii
spare neither expense pains to make this edition
of the Worlds Poet, superior to any that has here
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 on account ofits pecu
liar beauty it will gain itself admission into the IL
brares of the rch and there prove to be one OF the
choicest ornaments.
Those who wish this work in the most perfect
state, will only be 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 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
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 yas 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 as 10 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.
rable illustrations ofboth 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 &C.
company them with beautifully printed and 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 10 one who belongs not solely
TO 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-
geher with such advice and assistance in other de-
tails ofart, as his taste may suggest for the ustra-
ton and establishment of this publication. From
the same reason, the publisher, instead ofreprntng
the text and commentary of any popular English
impression, was desirous 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-
curately printed text by any notes or
tt,a c.l
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 crti-
cism of the text, will be put into an Appendix to
each play
The text Of Shakspeare's dramatic works, drawn
from old printed copies in his age, which had never
passed under the authors own eye, was conse-
quently disfgured by many errors and absurdtes
1t passed during the last century through 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 fa-
niliar acquaintance with old English idioms, hab-
its and modes of thought, guided by an intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeare's
genius, has led to the strong conviction that very
many OF the numerous though slight deviations
from the ancient text, appearing in modern editions,
are useless or erroneous interpretations, sometimes
weakening the sense and often substituting an ar.
5itrary monotonous, metrical regularity, to the Po
It's own native melody. Accordingly, very many
'f these lamentations have been rejected by the last
md best English editors, especially Mr. Knight and
Mr. Collier and the readings of the old folios and
luartos have been restored, unless where some er
or OF the press or manuscript wasundeniably man,
fest Yet there are many such passages confes. |
edly corrupt, requiring conjectura emendatons;
here are also difference of reading between the |
everal old impressions affording grounds for some
diversity Of text and warm controversy, between
he more recent editors.
Upon these, the American editor thinks it due to
he character of this edition, to decide himself,
without implicitly following the text of any one
modern edition. As the industry and learning OF
rier editors have furnished the collation. ofvarious
eadings, and the authorities upon which they may
re supported, the task is no longer that ofaborious
nvestigaon, but, as it were, Of judicial decision,
heightened by contending argument.
As many of these variations are of nearly equal
and as some ofthem are doubtless the
uthor's own alterations at different periods, all the
,ore important readings will be presented to the
eader in the notes, for his selection Those notes
'ilI also contain so much OF commentary as may be
seful to explain antiquated words and phrases OBJ
curey expressed passages and illusions to obsolete
pinions or the habits or history Of the times the
,hole in as condensed form as practicable. But
ny commentary upon Shakespeare, however brief.
,ould be imperfect iii did not present some view
the higher criticism employed not on the inter.
rotation Of his language, but upon his thoughts,
is character. his poetry, passions, philosophy. The
My difficulty here arises from the abundance, the
magnificent variety OF the materials contributed
uring the last half century, by the most brilliant
inds Of Europe. Still tits believed thai this duty
IN be satisfactorily performed, without swelling
le edition to an inconvenient bulk.
II. w. HEWETT, Publisher,
2Sl Broadway, New York.