New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-16
LITERARY NOTES.

Holt g. COMPANY have published, IN seven nanny
solumes. a new edition of Shakespeare's WorKf, from
tbe text of the Rev. Alexander Dyces fourth enioh'
with lite of the poet and an account OF each pay W
A. R. Macfarlane. The convenience OF the reader mas
been consulted BY the addition of an arrangement Vi
Dyce's glossary at the end OF each Voil'nc' ,n,'
edition is we'll printed. with clear type on paper
IS not quite thick enough. To obviate nisapprehen'
Il must be stated that while Dyces text Is usou n,'
notes are not given. and this signhes huch foi VIM
Dvoe waa an erudite ard scholarly critic, he was
singuafly prone to misrust his own judgment VIII"
the result that be issued lo's than three CAUTIONS III
loss than seven years each edition containing may
radical changes from ITS predecessor Whhe t''' no
was usually cautious in his emendat'ons when ne ud
take he was apt to proceed to lengths which in
MANY instances il is impossible to Justify Now "t'"
HIS notes 20 along with his text the student IS ahordeu
the means of following and estimating the force OF DIS
~casons and thns his conicctural enendations, OK
@rovaoant or niad;cions NAV be rejected. Bht oJ
printing his latest text without the notes the stu"o
"a virtually exposed to misappreaension ana IN ~
dangcr of taking stand upon the editors Jnug'n'"'
which the facts of the case do not warrant i"' h
ary in this edition is considerably curtaiiou "'"'
oriai.al but this change is probably an '"'pi
since Dvce included in his list OF words nee'ihs "a
,lorotio, an unreasonably large number when "e''
nother archaic nor obscure. II must be sad '"aI '
acc,unts of tho PLAYS prcfxed to each arc most caG
aud nadeouate in view of tho fact That there arc 10
notes The two doubtful plays" Tho Two noble Nns
men and Edward the Third" are given. th' TEX. u
tbc latter being taken from the " Le9poio oN"N
snearc" the chronological arrangement oil "hioh-4o
the m ,st part coniectural- also followed
Scr;tner & Wexford are tho American publishers Vi
n very welcome addition to Bohns S'ahihr" LULA
IN the form of Napier's edition OF hos"Hh ''"'''
Mr. Nanier has in this edition restored the Tour u o
Ucbrides TO its original and proper place ~ I'LL nu
,.rdcnt work Croker thrust it b. dis into Tn" hhoo
of Boswells text dslocating the latter VeAauouey'
though with good intent. Those ot MS hoeS "'o"
yero written from the point of view OF the critic ra
.har tha editor and which exhibited 30 curiouSiV
ranoorous n feeling toward tho biographer' have D'en
omitted rs they deserved to be, together WIN some "
the more discursivc and su7erfu1us observations u"
,h., nv no means iudicious editor Mr. Napier has re-
,;ned the best notes of all hs predecessors however
o,a has confined his own comments to the mos' ooF'-
ous necessities The edition consists OF nve volumes
of the Life and tie Toar and volume OF johns uianH
which ia the most valuable hitherto puohsh"u con''i,
,n, mt only the anecdotes of Mrs. Ploz:, Cumoeian
D,sbon Percy etc. but the Diary OF Dr. Cahpoei anu
extracts from the Diary of hadamo d'Arhiay ms
srrnl.montorv volume is edited by Mrs. hoon'a
Manner The edition on the whole may be recon-
ended a. the best cxant though OF course IL 'oes HUI
onneai 70 buyers WHO demand luxury OF paper type
and bookmaknG.