The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-08-09

dition, combine with the highest merits Of art and
taste such learned and minuteaccuracy as 10 see
nery, costume, architecture and antiquity SC as
make them perpetual and most instructive COM
mentary upon the Poets text. 1t il 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 ac-
company them with beautifully printed and cor
| rect text. ssat H9iE
But the publisher anxious. that his country should
pay some part of the homage due from her to the
greatest of Poets, 10 one who belongs not solely
to England, but to all iEk
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 countrys hiso-
nv, to contribute series Of Oriental Designs, to-
geher with such advice and assistance 10 other de-
tails ofart his taste may suggest, for the lustra-
ton and establishment of this publication. From
the same reason, the publisher instead ofreprinting
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 unencumbered by anynotes 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
NAV be thought useful for the explanation or crit
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 hadnever
passed under the authors own eye, was conse-
quently dis6gured by many errors and absurdites
1t passed during the last century through success
sion of varying editions unit! 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 ancient text, appearing in modern editions,
are useless or erroneous interpretations, sometimes
weakening the sense, and often substituting an ar
btrary monotonous, metrical regularity, to the Po-
cts own native melody. Accordingly, very many
of these emendatons have been rejected by the last
and best English editors, especially Mr.. knight and
Mr.. Collier, and the readings of the old folios and
quartos have been restored, unless where some er-
ror of the press or manuscript was undenably man
ilest. Yet there are many such passages confess
sedy corrupt, requiring conjectural emendatons;
there are also difference of reading between the
several old impressions affordiDg grounds for some
diversity of text and warm controversy, between
the more recent editors. 5y.
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
prier editors have furnished the collation. ofvarous
readings, and the authorities upon which they may
be supported, the task is no longer that oflaborous
investigation, but as it 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 antquated words and phrases, OBJ
scurey expressed passages and illusions to obsolete
opinions or the habits history of the times; the
whole in as condensed form as practicable But
any commentary upon Shakespeare, however brief.
would be imperfect if it did not present some view
of the higher criticism employed, not on 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 il is believed that this duty
can be satisfactorily performed, without swelling
the edition to an inconvenient bulk tEftsiF
H. w. HEWETT, Publisher,
2Sl Broadway, New York.