The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-06-12

could not content himselfwith mere republication or
compilation He has therefore prevailed upon X. w.
WEIR whose reputation an Artist is already identl-
fed with his countys history, to contribute series OF
original designs together with such advice and asss-
tancc in other details of his taste may suggest for
the illustration and establishment of this publication
From the same the publisher instead OF rePnntnS
the text and commentary of any popular EngIsh I'M
preston was desrous that his edition should have the
superysion ofan American editor This task has been
undertaken, by GUILAN C. VERPLANCk
The plan proposed himselfby the editor, is to fur
Inish the reader with carefully prepared and accurate
Ily printed text, unencumbered by any notes or COM
ments upon the page ITSELF however useful they may
be elsewhere they too apt to divert the mind from
the power of the Poets thought and to disturb the ma
gic ofhis scene. Such notes may be thought nseul
for the explanation or criticism OF the teX5Whl DO
| 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 eye, was consequently as
figured by many errors and obscunnes' 1t passed ou
ring the last century through succession of varying
editions until the revision of Stevens and Malone, whose
text (or rather that ofStevens) has become the STAN
dard from whfch most of the English and American e.
diions have been printed with various degrees oil ac-
curacy. But within the last twenty years. more ml-
mute and familiar acquaintance with old Engksh idioms
habits and modes of thought, guided by an intense and
constantly increasing admiration for Shakspeare's &C.
MUS, has led to the strong convection ma very many Oh
the numerous though slight devaons from the ancient
text appearing in modern editons useless or erro
noous interpretations, sometimes weakening the sense
and often substituting an arbitrary monotonous metrical
regularity orthe Poets own native melody. Accord
ngly very many of these emandaons have been reec-
ted by the last and best English editors especially Mr.
Knight and Mr. Collier, and the readings of the old TO-
os and uuartos have been restOed unless where some
error ofthe press or manuscTiptwa undeniaby mani
fest. Yet there are many such passages contessedly
corrupt and recurring conectural emendation; there
are also differences of reading between the several old
Impressions ardng grounds for some diversity OF text
and warm controversy between the more recent editors
Upon these the American editor thinks it 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
nshed the collation. ofyarous readings and the author-
ties upon which they may be supported the task is no
longer that ofaborous investigations but as 1t were, OF
judicial decision enlightened by conendmg argument.
As MANY of these variations o nearly equal prob
ability and as some of them are doubtless the authors
own alterations at different periods, all the more impor
tant readings will be presented to hereaGern thenotes
for his own selection Thosenotes will also contain SO
much documentary may be useful to explain anti
quated words and phrases, obscurey expressed passages
and alIusions to obsolete opinions the habits or his
tory of the tmes the whole in condensed form as
Ipracticable. 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
interpretation of his language but upon his Thoughts
his character his poetry, passions philosophy Inc
Iony difficulty here arises from the abundance, the mag
nicent variety, of the materials contributed during the
last half century by themost brilliant minds OF Europe.
Still II is believed that this duty be satisfactorily
performed without swelling the edition to an inconye-
intent bulk.
II. w. HEWET, Publisher.
i 2Sl Broadway, New York.