The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-08-07
WHO speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spake,

Icould not content himself with republication or
compilation. He has therefore prevailed upon K. 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 taste may suggest for
the illustration and establishment of this publication.
From the the publisher instead ofreprinng
the text and commentary of any popular English i'm
preston, desirous that his edition should have the
supervision ofan American editor. This task has been
undertaken, by GUILAN c. VERPLANCK.
The plan proposed to himselfby the editor is to fur
nish the reader with carefully prepared and accurate
Iy printed text, unencumbered by any notes or COM
ments upon the page ITSELF as however useful they may
be elsewhere they apt to divert the mind from
the power of the Poets thought and to disturb the
gic ofhs scene. Such notes may be thought useful
for the explanation or criticism of the teXwill 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 obscuritios 1t passed du-
ring the last century through succession of varying
editions until the revision Of Stevens and Malone whose
text Tor rather that of Sevens) has become the STAN
dard from which most of the English and American c.
didons have been printed with various degrees of ac
Icuracy But within the last twenty years. more mi
mute and familiar acquaintance with old English idioms
habits and modes of thought guided by intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeares ge-
MUS has led the strong conviction thatvery many
the numerous though slight deviations from the ancient
text appearing in modern editions are useless erro-
neous interpretations sometimes weakening the sense
and often substituting an arbitrary monoonous merical
regularity for the Poets native melody. Accord
ngy very many of these emandations have been reec-
ted by the last and best English editors especially Mr.
knight and Mr.. Collier, and the readings Of the old TO-
hos and quartos have been estored unless where
error ofthe press manuscript was undeniably mani
fest. Yet there many such passages coniessedly
corrupt and requiring conjectural emendation; there
are also differences of reading between the several ole
Impressions aording grounds for diversity Of tex
land controversy between the recent editors
Upon these, the American editor thinks it due thu
character of this edition. to decide for himself withou
implicitly following the text of any modern edition
AS the industry and learning of prior editors have fur
nshed the collation. ofvarous readings and the author
ties upon which they may be supported, the task is M
longer that oflaborous investigation, but it
Judicial decision enlightened by contending argument
. As many these variations are of nearly equal prob
j ability, and Of them doubtless the author
own alterations at different periods, all the impoI
ant readings Will be presented to the reaGerin thenoe
for bis own selection. Those notes will also contain 8
J. much documentary as may be useful to explain anti
quaed words and phrases obscurey expressed passage
and illusions obsolete opinions the habits his
tory of the times; the whole in condensed form
practicable. But any commentary upon Shakespeare
however brief would be imperfect If it did preser
some view of the higher criticism employed, not tn
Interpretation of his language but upon his thoughts
his character, his poetry, passions, philosophy Th
only difficulty here arises from the abundance the mat
nfcent variety, of the materials contributed during t
le last half century by the most brilliant minds Of Europ
Still it is believed that this duty be sasfactor
performed without swelling the edition to an inconv
nient bulk
H.W, HEWET, Publisher,
Ie 2sl Broadway, New York.