priety, be called her mother; and it must also be noticed that Imogen continues the imagery in the next line, calling herself, "a garment out of fashion." If the passages directly bearing on this subject be placed in juxtaposition, the reader will, perhaps, more distinctly perceive the great force of the line of argument we have pursued, "Let me not live, quoth he, After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses All but new things disdain; WHOSE JUDGMENTS ARE All's Well that Ends Well, Act i, Sc. 2. "A parcel of conceited feather-caps, WHOSE FATHERS WERE THEIR GARMENTS."-Old Play, cited, without reference, by Steevens. There can be little doubt but that a careful examination of our old plays would enable us to quote other 14 passages of similar import, but what is here produced will, it is thought, be sufficient to prove that it was not unusual to refer to the external adornment of the person figuratively as the parent, especially in cases where that adornment was a prominent feature. This admitted, it must unquestionably be unsafe to receive the correctness of any emendation of the first passage quoted from Cymbeline, unless it unless it were clearly supported by good and contemporary authority, such as an early quarto, or a MS. correction, the source of which could be clearly traced to Shakespeare's time. Mr. Collier asserts the emendation of his folio must "instantly carry acquiescence with it." No conjectural alterations can be so received. The more plausible they are, the greater is the necessity of examining them more earnestly, so that our judgment be not diverted from what is, in all cases of Shakespearian criticism, the absolute necessity of ascertaining whether or no we are departing from the phraseology of the poet and his contemporaries. No sophistry can long conceal the importance of an attention to this, before giving our adhesion to violent changes, even in a case, as in the present one, where the alteration is so exceedingly clever, that, had it occurred to a modern critic, he would undoubtedly have enjoyed the conventional title of ingenious' ever afterwards. In the words of Johnson, applied to another critical effort, it might have been styled a noble emendation, placing "the critic on a level with the author." But inquirers in this branch of literature must have observed how fallacious are all conjectural readings; how the discovery of a really ancient text of authority will dissipate pages of critical ingenuity and learning; and although a hint at the possibility of "Smothers her with painting," being capable of question, has at present been impatiently listened to, we may still venture to hope that what has been here advanced will cause a little examination to be given to the subject, before it be decided that the old reading shall be displaced by the new. AVENUE LODGE, BRIXTON HILL; TUCKER, PRINTER, FRITH STREET, SOHO. Publications illustrative of Shakespeare's Life & Writings, On Sale by JOHN RUSSELL SMITH, 36, Soho Square. Malone's Letter to Dr. Farmer (in Reply to Ritson), relative to his Edition of Shakespeare, published in 1790. 8vo, sewed. 1s. 1792 1796 Ireland's (W. H.) Miscellaneous Papers and Legal Instruments, from the original MSS. (the Shakespeare Forgeries). 8vo, plate. 2s. 6d. 1796 Ireland's (Sam.) Vindication of his Conduct respecting the Publication of the supposed Shakespeare MSS., in reply to the Critical Labours of Mr. Malone. 8vo, ls. 6d. Ireland's Investigation of Mr.Malone's Claim to the Character of Scholar or Critic, being an Examination of his "Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Shakespeare Manuscripts." 8vo, ls. 6d. 1796 Ireland's (W. Henry) Authentic Account of the Shakesperian Manuscripts, &c. (respecting his fabrication of them). 8vo, 1s. 6d. 1796 Comparative Review of the Opinions of Jas. Boaden, in 1795, and in 1796, relative to the Shakespeare MSS. 8vo. 2s. 1796 Graves's (H. M.) Essay on the Genius of Shakespeare, with Critical Remarks on the Characters of Romeo, Hamlet, Juliet, and Ophelia. Post 8vo, cloth. 2s. 6d. (pub. at 5s. 6d.) 1826 Wivell's Historical Account of the Monumental Bust of Shakespeare, in the Chancel of Stratford-on-Avon Church. 8vo. 2 plates. 1s. 6d. 1827 Ireland's (W. H.) Vortigern, an Historical Play, represented at Drury Lane, April 2, 1796, as a supposed newly discovered Drama of Shakespeare, a new Edition, with an original Preface. 8vo, facsimile, 1s. 6d. (pub. at 3s. 6d.) 1832 The Preface is both interesting and curious, from the additional information it gives respecting the Shakespeare Forgeries, containing also the substance of his "Confessions." Boaden (Jas.) on the Sonnets of Shakespeare, identifying the person to whom they are addressed, and elucidating several points in the Poet's History. 8vo, 1s. 6d. Traditionary Anecdotes of Shakespeare, collected in Warwickshire in 1693. 8vo, 1837 1838 sewed. 1s. Madden's (Sir F.) Observations on an Autograph of Shakespeare and the Orthography of his Name. 8vo, sewed. 1s. Halliwell's Shakesperiana.-A Catalogue of the Early Editions of Shakespeare's Plays, and of the Commentaries and other Publications illustrative of his Works. 8vo, cloth. 3s. Indispensable to Collectors of Shakesperiana. 1838 1841 1841 1841 1842 Halliwell's Introduction to "Midsummer Night's Dream." 8vo, cloth. 3s. Halliwell on the Character of Falstaff. 12mo, cloth. 2s. 6d. Collier's (J. P.) Reasons for a New Edition of Shakespeare's Works. 8vo, 1s. Shakespeare's Library.-A Collection of the Romances, Novels, Poems, and Histories, used by Shakespeare as the foundation of his Dramas, now first collected and accurately reprinted from the original Editions, with Notes, &c., by J. P. Collier. 2 vols. 8vo, cloth. 10s. 6d. (pub. at £1. 1s.) 1843 Account of the only known Manuscript of Shakespeare's Plays, comprising some important variations and corrections in the "Merry Wives of Windsor," obtained from a Playhouse copy of that Play recently discovered. By J. O. Halliwell. 8vo, 1s. 1843 Dyce's Remarks on Collier's and Knight's Editions of Shakespeare, 8vo, cloth. 4s. 6d. 1844 Rimbault's Who was "Jack Wilson," the Singer of Shakespeare's Stage? An attempt to prove the identity of this person with John Wilson, Doctor of Music in the University of Oxford, A. D. 1644. 8vo, ls. Halliwell's New Life of Shakespeare, including many Particulars respecting the Poet and his Family, never before published. A handsome vol. 8vo, 76 engravings by Fairholt, cloth. 15s. 1848 This work contains upwards of forty documents respecting Shakespeare and his Family, never before published, besides numerous others, indirectly illustrating the Poet's Biography. All the Anecdotes and Traditions concerning Shakespeare are here for the first time collected, and much new light is thrown on his personal history, by papers exhibiting him as selling Malt and Stone, &c. Of the seventy-six engravings which illustrate the volume, more than fifty have never before been published. 1846 A New Boke about Shakespeare and Stratford-on-Avon. By J. O. Halliwell, F.R.S., &c. 4to, curious cuts and facsimiles, ONLY 50 COPIES PRIVATELY PRINTED, cloth. 15s. 1850 This volume contains several curious, hitherto inedited, documents relating to Shakespeare and his Family, with facsimiles of the Poet's Marriage-bond with Anne Hathaway, &c. But what will render it of great interest to American readers, are Illustrations and Notes to Washington Irving's celebrated paper on Stratford-on-Avon. The illustrations include Views of the Red Horse Inn, the "little parlour" in which Mr. Irving took up his abode, the Jubilee Amphitheatre, the Room in which Shakespeare was born, and the Shop and Room at the birthplace; Clarlecote, the Clerk's Dwelling, Exterior and Interior; Shakespeare's Matchlock, Hamlet's Sword, the Friar's Lantern, the Keeper's Lodge at Charlecote, and other scenes mentioned by Irving. Shakespeare's Will, copied from the Original in the Prerogative Court, preserving the Interlineations and Facsimiles of the three Autographs of the Poet, with a few preliminary Observations, by J. O. Halliwell. 4to, 1s. 1851 |