candour, accuracy, and profound learning, that his death muft be confidered as an irreparable lofs to literature, was of opinion, that in printing these plays the original fpelling fhould be adherd to, and that we never could be fure of a perfectly faithful edition, unless the firft folio copy was made the standard, and actually fent to the prefs, with fuch corrections as the editor might think proper. By others it was fuggefted, that the notes fhould not be fubjoined to the text, but placed at the end of each volume, and that they should be accompanied by a complete Gloffary. The former fcheme (that of fending the first folio to the prefs) appeared to me liable to many objections; and I am confident that if the notes were detached from the text, many readers would remain uninformed, rather than undergo the trouble occafioned by perpetual references from one part of a volume to another. In the prefent edition I have endeavoured to obtain all the advantages which would have refulted from Mr. Tyrwhitt's plan, without any of its inconveniences. Having often experienced the fallacioufnels of collation by the eye, I determined, after I had adjusted the text in the best manner in my power, to have every proof-fheet of my work read aloud to me, while I perused the firft folio, for thofe plays which first appeared in that edition; and for all thofe which had been previously printed, the first quarto copy, excepting only in the inftances of The Merry Wives of Windfor, and King Henry V. which, being either sketches or imperfect copies, could not be wholly relied e on; and King Richard III.* of the earliest edition of which tragedy I was not poffeffed. I had at the fame time before me a table which I had formed of the variations between the quartos and the folio. By this laborious process not a fingle innovation, made either by the editor of the fecond folio, or any of the modern editors, could escape me. From the Index to all the words and phrafes explained or illuftrated in the notes, which I have subjoined to this work, every ufe may be derived which the moft copious Gloffary could afford; while those readers who are lefs intent on philological inquiries, by the notes being appended to the text, are relieved from the irksome task of seeking information in a different volume from that immediately before them. If it be asked, what has been the fruit of all this labour, I answer, that many innovations, tranfpofitions, &c. have been detected by this means; many hundred emendations have been made, and, I trust, At the time the tragedy of King Richard III. was in the prefs. I was obliged to make ufe of the fecond edition printed in 1598; but have fince been furnished with the edition of 1597, which I have collated verbatim, and the most material variations are noticed in the Appendix. 3 If the explication of any word or phrafe fhould appear unfatisfactory, the reader, by turning to the Gloffarial Index, may know at once whether any additional information has been obtained on the fubject. Thus, in Macbeth, Vol. IV. p. 392, Dr. Warburton's erroneous interpretation of the word blood-bolter'd is inferted; but the true explication of that provincial term may be found in the APPENDIX. So of the phrafe, "Will you take eggs for money" in The Winter's Tale; and fome others. 4 Left this affertion fhould be fuppofed to be made without evidence, I fubjoin a lift of the restorations made from the a genuine text has been formed. Wherever any deviation is made from the authentick copies, original copy, and fupported by contemporary usage, in two plays only; The Winter's Tale and King John. The lines in the Italick character are exhibited as they appear in the edition of 1778, (as being much more correctly printed than that of 1785, thofe in the common character as they appear in the prefent edition. "The doctrine of ill-doing, no, nor dream'd-" P. 295. "The doctrine of ill-doing; nor dream'd—' P. 126. P. 300. 3. "As o'er-dy'd blacks, as winds, as waters; "As o'er-dy'd blacks, as wind, as waters;-" P. 130. 4. "As ornament oft does." P. 302. "As ornaments oft do." P. 130. The original copy, with a difregard of grammar, reads"As ornaments oft does." This inaccuracy has been conftantly corrected by every editor wherever it occurs; but the correction should always be made in the verb, and not in the noun, 5. "Have you not thought for cogitation "Refides not in the man that does not think it) My wife is flippery?" P. 408. 66 Have you not thought (for cogitation "Refides not in the man that does not think) 6. 66 7. wishing clocks more swift? Hours, minutes? the noon midnight? and all eyes,-" wishing clocks more fwift? P. 408. "Hours, minutes? noon midnight? and all eyes, 17 P. 139. Ay, and thou, who may'ft fee How I am gall'd-thou might' ft be-spice a cup," P. 30g, except in the cafe of mere obvious errors of the 8. Ay, and thou,-who may't fee "How I am galled,-might'ft be-fpice a cup,-" P. 140. I'll keep my ftable where 66 66 I lodge my wife;" P. 325. I'll keep my tables where I lodge my wife; "I II. 10. And I beseech you, hear me, who profefs-" P. 333. "And I befeech you hear me, who profeffes-" P. 162. “This feffion to our great grief,—” P. 343. "This feffions to our great grief,-" P. 170. "The bug which you will fright me with, I feek." P. 347. "The bug which you would fright me with, I feek." P. 175. 13. You here fhall fwear upon the fword of justice," P. 349. "You here fhall fwear upon this fword of juftice," 12. P. 177 14. "The feffion Shall proceed." P. 349. P. 178. 15. "Which you knew great; and to the certain hazard 66 Of all incertainties" P. 350. "Which you knew great, and to the hazard Some word was undoubtedly omitted' at the prefs; (probably fearful or doubtful;) but I thought it better to exhibit the line in an imperfect ftate, than to adopt the interpolationmade by the editor of the fecond folio, who has introduced perhaps as unfit a word as could have been chofen. 66 16. Through my dark ruft! and how his piety-" P. 36o. "Thorough my ruft! and how his piety-" P. 179. The firft word of the line is in the old copy by the mistake of the compofitor printed Through. 18. Your difcontenting father I'll ftrive to qualify,-" P. 401. Your difcontenting father ftrive to qualify," P. 224. prefs, the reader is apprized by a note; and every 66 19. If I thought it were not a piece of honefly to acquaint the king withal, I would do it. 17 P. 407. "If I thought it were a piece of honefty to acquaint the king withal, I'd not do it." P. 229. 20. Doft thou think, for that I infinuate or toze - P. 402. 21. 22. P. 231. "You might have spoke a thousand things," P. 414. "You might have spoken a thoufand things," P. 235. "Where we offend her now, appear—" "Where we offenders now appear · P. 237. 23. Once more to look on. ร P.. 417. -", P. 420. P. 240. like a weather-beaten conduit." like a weather-billen conduit. This your fon-in-law, And Jon unto the king, who, heavens directing, "Is troth-plight to your daughter." P. 437. This your fon-in-law, "And fon unto the king, (whom heavens directing,) "Is troth-plight to your daughter." P. 257. KING JOHN. 您. "Which fault lies on the hazard of all hufbands. P. 10. "Which fault lies on the hazards of all husbands." That I may be accurately understood, I fubjoin a few of thefe unnoticed corrections: In King Henry VI. P. I. A&. I. fc. vi. |