Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-12-24
DRIFT.


market to-day New ones are coming out
hy the dozen every wear, from folio fac
SMILES OF the first edition, more curious
than comfortable, to little vest pocket % mos,
seemingly published IN the interest of the
oculist alone. The number aud variety of
them is only less wonderful than the scarcity,
In spite of IL all, Ot editions that shall bc last.
ingiy satisfactory to the great bulk OF readers
This fact struck me very iorcibly in looking
over the loaded shelves of our book stores
during the present holiday season. saw a
number of beautiful sets that would have
suited me in nearly every respect but their
price was much too high. | saw still more
whose price was low enough but their
style of makeup was miserable, print atom
Unable, paper sOomtnabler, binding abomn-
ablest'
PERHArs you think that bookseller WAS
right who told me WAS too particular for
my pocketbook l don't think l sm. In
fact, know | sm not. because have sue.
ceeded in getting pretty nearly what
wanted rs regards both style and price.
OF course when l want really to study
Shakespeare. do IS theologiaus do when
they study the Bible 1t makes little differ.
bulky aud uuhsndy the book is-sizs doesn'
enter into sccounL l want the most critic
ally accurate text first OF all. Then | want
the most thorough aud critical commentary
on it. In fact, l must have more than one,
White, furness-as many ss | can get but
at all events more than one, Thus equipped
| am ready to get down TO the work.
BUr when don't want to work, but sim
ply 10 be edited and to enjoy myself which
is the sole aud sufficient purpose of ninety.
nine out OF every hupdgesnaa-i-- So.
sueaIe, i6g0sta f-~..- -. Ivtuets OF NAAAe-
49,. } ..sG Tne style of the book becomes OF
the utmost importance. 1t must not he
bulky volume-not larger than aduCdecImo,
and less than an inch IN thickness, well pro
pOrtioued, handy" 50 that l can easily
hold it in one hand, Tor any length Of time,
without discomfort and IN any position
may choose, sitting, standing, or reclining al
my ease. At the same time, however, the
tyre must be large and clearly printed on
good, opaque paper, 50 that my eyes may not
be strained IN any way uYer-eNerted.
That IL lust where one OF the chief idIihCultles
usually comes IN small volumes and good,
clear type seldom are Joined together. The
binding, moreover, ought 10 be plalu aud
neat, and above all durable, OF good, honest
workmanship. Finally, l don't want the
pages encumbered, and the attention dis
traCted, by notes aud comments For enjoy
meut and editca.Ipu one wants only Shake
speare, pure and simple Just ss for the same
purpose one takes tse PLAIN text OF the Bible
without note or comment These are tor the
study, not tor tho eaSy-ChAir they are for the
| student, not iOr the ordinary reader,
THERE are plenty such editions to be had,
! know but they are 20 be had only by the
wealthy. The editions are very scarce, in.
deed, that have all the qualities desired, and
at the same time are offered al 50 low price
a. 20 be within reach Of the average Ameri-
cans pCCketbOOk. I know OF one such that
| is being issued by John B Alden, Of New
York, the same publisher who recently
brought out that wonderfully iOW-prICed edi-
| ton OF lryIng's works, which | talked about
some time ago. His Shakespeare, which be
calls the Ideal Edition" is published in
twelve duOteclmo volumes printed from
| new long primer type, on good heavy TaPeT,
with generous margins, and - bound either
in cloth, gilt top, at the price OF SO, or IN half
morocco, msrb.ed edges, AT 500 for the set,
with large discounts on early orders II is
lust such au edition as nuety-niue ont OF 4
hundred readers want and at the same time
can afford to get GOOd Workmanship and
exceedingly low price are happily joined to-
gether, for while lOw-pr!ced, there Is really
nothing cheap about the books.
AND, alter all, il Is the ninsty aud nine Of
the public whom by every pos-ible means
we ought to encourage, help ami beguile into
becoming readers OF the myriad minded
bard by furnishing him TO them in the
most pleasing shape and a. the cheapest
price. They are the ones Who need him
most Indeed / almost agree with the late
Elisha Mulinrd, who us'd 10 express the
wish,' according to Mr.. Horace scudder,
" that the missionaries might translate
Shakespeare into the Chinese tongue he
| thought the people OF China needed nothing
so much Only ! don't think the Chinese
need him any more than do multItudes in
| our own country. And to reach them we
| need not translate the language, bat only put
| him into such a form a. may iCvite and
| charm them ~ take him up, handle, read
| and enjoy HIM. They don't want critic Al
| editions, with bulky commentaries attsrhed.
! As little Is does that other class SO large
| and so dllfused through soyiely." 10 qu6te
| the language OF Richard Grant " hile, " that
| It cannot be rightly called class, who do not
| know that there are German critics, who
| have little acquaintance with any criticism,
| To whom SChlegel IS unrevealed and Cole.
| ridge Is but a name, and who vet read and
| understand aud love and delight in Shake
| speaTe, and WhO would quietly smile at the
| notion that a: last We understand Shake
| spesre because some learned people have
| said very profound sayings about his Tevela.
| tious Of the inner life "
| FOR all classes Shakespeare Is positive
and potent factor in their educ luon and cul.
l
| the civilization OF the race, More than any
| other author | know, hs - an intellectual
| ana moral inspiration. | mean he dOesn t
| only influence us in any one or two or three
| directions, as do most Of the great writer's OF
| the world, so that We learn 10 think, or leel,
| or even express ourselves as they do but
| somehow or other he has the effect Of bringing
| out much OF the best that Is iu us. Just how
IL ~ done am unable to tell. But | know
that 1t Is done, Tor have seen II in more than
M n q tErl1 - I
more than all other influences put together.
| Detoe has made sailors out of more than one
| boy Cooper has led them into the forest as
| hunters and trappers Addison, Irving,
hawthorne have reused literary ambition
| aud presented literary model for scores of
young men but Shak esp speare, while moving
lew or none To emulate All yOnc Ot bis CharsC-
| tiers, and certainly none to Initiate hls liter
| ary style, has helped to make men, and
| women, tno, OF more young persons than any
| "'her master OF thought in the whole realm Of
| letters
| OF course this unCOnsClOusly educating
aud refining influence Is not equally strong,
| nor equally beneficial, on all readers IL is
| partially conditioned by the predi spOsition OF
each person, and proportiOned To the degree
| OF intelligence, thOTOughness and earnestness {
| "bch The reader brings 10 bear upon the
great dramatist's works. As tie lamentsd
| EhWln T. Whipple says, in the first OF hIs
| lectures on Shakespeare, printed in the vol
ume on " Literature Ot the A ge of Elizabeth" ,"
| lectures which every student OF Shake
| sPeare ought carefully read" Shakespeare,
| II Is plain, can only convey to us what we
| are capable Of taking in the mind that per
| ceiVes reduces greatness to its own mental
| sAlute ana persons, according To their