The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-10-30

What Shakespeare snake,

IItlt FluhSDGtIe SDHhE,
could not content LimspIfwith a mere republication =.
compilation. He has therefore prevailed upon K. w.
WEIR, whose reputation as an Artist is already identi-
fed with his country's history, to contribute Il series OF
original designs, together with such advice and usss-
lance in other details fart as his taste may suggest for
the illustration and establishment of this publication.
From the same reason the publisher, instead oirepinang
the text and commentary Of any popular English i'm
preston, was DESTROYS thar his edition should have the
supervision ofan American editor. This tack has been
undertaken, by CUBAN c. FERPLANCk.
4he plan proposed TO h~3mseIfby the editor, is to fur
nish the reader with a carefully prepared and accurate
ly printed text, un%encumbored by any notes or com
ments 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 ma
gic ofhis scene. Such notes as may be thought nsetul
for the explanation or criticism Of the text,will he
thrown into an Appendix to each play.
The text of Shakspearc's dramatic wolks, drawn
from old printed copies in his age, which had never pas
sed under the authors own eye, was consequently dis
hguIed by many errors and obscuIitics. 1t passcu L.
ring the last century through a succession OF yaryiug
editions until the revision Of Stevens and Malone, whose
text (or rather that ofStcyens) has become the stan
dard from which most of the English and American G.
ditions have been printed, with various degrees Of ac-
curacy. But within the last twenty years, a more mi
mute and familiar acquaintance with old English idioms
habits and modes Of thought, guided by an intense and
constantly increasing admiration for ShakspeaTc's ge-
MUS, has led to the strong conviction that very many OF
the numerous though slight dcviations from the ancient
NSAbhppCulli5 III hOGSiH G'tItlOllSs blG uSGIGSS U CIlO-
neous interpretations, sometimes weakening the sense
and often substituting an arbitrary monOtonous metTical
regularity for thc Poets own native melody. Accord
ingly very many of these examinations have been rejec-
ted by the last and best English editors, especially Mr..
Knight and Mr.. Collier, and the readings of the old To-
los and quartos have been restored, unless where some
error ofthe press or manuscriptwas undoniatiy mani
fest. Yet there are many such passages confessedly
corrupt, and requiring cOnjectural emendation; there
are also differences of reading between the several old
impressions, ~atlording grounds forsome diversity Ct 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 for himself without
implicitly following the text Of any one modern edition
AS the industry and learning Of prior editors have fur
nished the collation. ofyarious readings and the authOri-
ties upon which they may be supported, the task is no
longer that oflaborious investigation. but. as II were, OF
judicial decision enlightened by contending argument.
As many ofthese variations are ofnearly equal prob
sbility, and as some of them are doubtless the authors
own alterations at different periods, all the more impoG-
tnnt readings viii be presented to the roaGcrin thonotea
for his own selection. Those notes will also contain SC
much documentary as may be useful to explain anti
quated words and phrases, obscurely expressed passages
and illusions 10 obsolete opinions or the habits or his
tory Of the times; the whole in as condensed a form al
practicable. But any commentary upon Shakespeare
however briec, would be imperfect ii It did not pTesen
some view Of the higher criticism employed, notion the
Interpretation Of his language. ~butupon his thoughts
his character, his poetry, passions, philosophy. The
only difficulty here arises from the abundance, the mag
nihcent variety, OF the materials contributed during thu
last half century by the most brilliant minds of Europe
Still it is believed that this duty can be satisfactoril,
performed without swelling the edition to an inconvC
nient bulk.
II. W. HEWET, Publisher.
oSl Broadway, New York.