Euphuifm," as it was phrafed, and no writings would go down with them but fuch as were pen'd in that fantastical manner: the fetter-up of this fashion tried it also in comedy; but feems to have mifcarried in that, and that for this plain reason: the people who govern theatres are the middle and lower orders of the world; and these expected laughter in comedies, which this ftuff of Lilly's was incapable of exciting: but fome other writers, who rofe exactly at that time, fucceeded better in certain tragical performances, though as outrageous to the full in their way, and as remote from nature, as these comick ones of Lilly's: for falling in with that innate love of blood which has been often objected to British audiences, and choofing fables of horror, which they made horrider ftill by their manner of handling them, they produced a set of monsters that are not to be parallel'd in all the annals of play-writing; yet they were received with applause, and were the favourites of the publick for almoft ten years together, ending at 1595: many plays of this stamp, it is probable, have perished; but those that are come down to us are as follows ;- "The Wars of Cyrus; Tamburlaine the Great, in two Parts; The Spanish Tragedy, likewife in two Parts; Soliman and Perfeda; and Selimus a tragedy;" (15) which, whoever has means of coming at, and can have the patience to examine, will fee evident tokens of a fashion then prevailing, which occafioned all these plays to be caft in the fame mold. Now Shakefpeare, whatever motives he might have in some other parts NOTE. (15) No evidence has occurred to prove exactly the time these plays were written, except that paffage of Jonfon's which relates to feronimo;" but the editions we have read them in, are as follovs: Tamburlaine" in 1593; " Selimus," and "The Wars of Cyrus," in 1594; and "Soliman and Perfeda" in 1599; the other without a date, but as early as the earliest: they are all without name of au of it, at this, period of his life wrote certainly for profit; and seeing it was to be had in this way (and in this way only, perhaps) he fell in with the current, and gave his forry auditors a piece to their tooth in this contefted play of "Titus Andronicus" which, as it came out at the fame time with the plays above-mentioned, is most exactly like them in almost every particular; their very numbers, confifting all of ten fyllables with hardly any redundant, are copied by this Proteus, who could put on any shape that either ferved his interest or suited his inclination: and this, we hope, is a fair and unforced way of accounting for " Andronicus ;" and may convince the most prejudiced--that Shakespeare might be the writer of it, as he might also of "Locrine," which is afcribed to him, a ninth tragedy, in form and time agreeing perfectly with the others. But to conclude this article,-however he may be cenfured, as rafh or ill-judging, the editor ventures to declare that he himfelf wanted not the conviction of the foregoing argument to be fatisfied who the play belongs to; for though a work of imitation, and conforming itself to models truly execrable throughout, yet the genius of its author breaks forth in fome places, and, to the editor's eye, Shakespeare stands confeffed the third act in particular may be read with admiration even by the most delicate; who, if they are not without feelings, may chance to find themselves touched by with such paffions as tragedy fhould excite, that is,—terror and pity. The reader will please to obferve-that all these con NOTE. thor; nor has any book been met with to inftru&t us in that particular, except only for "Jeronimo;" which we are told by Heywood, in his "Apology for Actors," was written by Thomas Kyd; author, or tranflator rather, (for it is taken from the French of Robert Garnier) of another play, intitled-" Cornelia," printed likewife in 1594. Which of these extravagant plays had the honour to lead the tefted plays are in the folio, which is dedicated to the poet's patrons and friends, the earls of Pembroke and Montgomery, by editors who are feemingly honeft men, and profess themselves dependant upon those noblemen; to whom therefore they would hardly have had the confidence to prefent forgeries, and pieces fuppofititious; in which too they were liable to be detected by thofe identical noble perfons themfelves, as well as by a very great part of their other readers and auditors which argument, though of no little ftrength in itself, we omitted to bring before, as having better (as we thought) and more forcible to offer; but it had behoved those gentlemen who have questioned the plays to have got rid of it in the first instance, as it lies full in their way in the very entrance upon this difpute. We shall close this part of the Introduction with some observations, that were referved for this place, upon that paragraph of the player-editors preface which is quoted at p. 134 ; and then taking this further liberty with the reader,—to call back his attention to fome particulars that concern the prefent edition, difmifs him, to be entertained (as we hope) by a fort of appendix, confifting of thofe notes that have been mentioned, in which the true and undoubted originals of almost all the poet's fables are clearly pointed out. But first of the preface. Befides the authenticity of all the feveral pieces that make up this collection, and their care in publishing them, both folemnly affirmed in the paragraph referred to, we there find these honeft editors acknowledging, in terms NOTE. way, we cannot certainly tell, but "Jeronymo" feems to have the best pretenfions to it; as "Selimus" has above all his other brethren, to bearing away the palm for blood and murther: this curious piece has thefe lines for a conclufion;— If this first part, genties, do like you well, equally folemn, the author's right in his copies, and lamenting that he had not exercised that right by a publication of them during his life-time; and from the manner in which they expre s themselves, we are ftrongly inclined to think that he had really formed such a defign, but towards his last days, and too late to put it in execution: a collection of Jonfon's was at that inftant in the prefs, and upon the point of coming forth; which might probably infpire fuch a thought into him and his companions, and produce conferences between them-about a fimilar publication from him, and the pie es that should compofe it, which the poet might make a lift of. It is true, this is only a fuppofition; but a suppofition arifing naturally, as we think, from the incident that has been mentioned, and the expreffions of his fellowplayers and editors: and, if fuffered to pass for truth, here is a good and found reafon for the exclufion of all those other plays that have been attributed to him upon some grounds or other; -- he himself has profcribed them; and we cannot forbear hoping, that they will in no future time rise up against him, and be thrust into his works: a difavowal of weak and idle pieces, the productions of green years, wantonnefs, or inattention, is a right that all authors are vefted with; and fhould be exerted by all, if their reputations are dear to them; had Jonfon used it, his character had flood higher than it does: but, after all, they who have paid attention to this truth are not always fecure; the indifcreet zeal of an admirer, or avarice of a publisher, has frequently added NOTE. But whether the audience had enough of it, or how it happened we cannot tell, but no fuch fecond part is to be found. All these plays were the conftant butt of the poets who came immediately after them, and of Shakespeare amongst the reft; and by their ridicule the town at last was made fenfible of their ill judgment, and the theatre was purg'd of these monsters. things that dishonour them; and where realities have been wanting, forgeries fupply the place; thus has Homer his "Hymns," and the poor Mantuan his "Ciris" and his "Culex., Noble and great authors demand all our veneration where their wills can be discovered, they ought facredly to be complied with; and that editor ill discharges his duty, who prefumes to load them with things they have renounced. It happens but too often, that we have other ways to fhew our regard to them; their own great want of care in their copies, and the ftill greater want of it that is commonly in their impreffions, will find fufficient exercise for any one's friendship, who may wish to fee their works fet forth in that perfection which was intended by the author, And this friendship we have endeavoured to fhew to Shakespeare in the prefent edition: the plan of it has been laid before the reader; upon whom it refts to judge finally of its goodness, as well as how it is executed: but as several matters have intervened, that may have driven it from his memory; and we are defirous above all things to leave a ftrong impreffion upon him of one merit which it may certainly pretend to; that is—its fidelity; we shall take leave to remind him, at parting, that-Throughout all this work, what is added without the authority of some ancient edition, is printed in a black letter: what altered, and what thrown out, constantly taken notice of; fome few times in a note, where the matter was long, or of a complex nature; (16) but, more generally, at the bottom of the page; where NOTE. (16) The particulars that could not well be pointed out below, according to the general method, or otherwife than by a note, are of three forts; omiffions, or any thing large; tranfpofitions; and fuch differences of punctuation as produce great changes in the fenfe of a paffage: inftances of the first, occur in Love's Labour's loft," p. 56, |