haue profequuted both them, and their Author liuing, vvith Jo much fauour: we hope, that (they out-liuing him, and he not hauing the fate, common with fome, to be exequutor to his owne writings) you will vfe the like indulgence toward them, you haue done unto their parent. There is a great difference, vvhether any Booke choofe his Patrones, or finde them; This hath done both. For, fo much were your L L. likings of the feuerall parts, vvhen they were acted, as before they vvere published, the Volume ask'd to be yours. We haue but collected them, and done an office to the dead, to procure his Orphanes, Guardians; vvithout ambition either of felfe-profit, or fame: onely to keepe the memory of fo worthy a Friend, & Fellow aliue, as was our SHAKESPEARE, by humble offer of his playes, to your most noble patronage. Wherein, as we haue iuftly obferued, no man to come neere your L.L. but vvith a kind of religious addresse; it hath bin the height of our care, vvho are the Prefenters, to make the prefent worthy of your H H. by the perfection. But, there we must also craue our abilities to be confiderd, my Lords. We cannot go beyond our owne powers. Country hands reach foorth milke, creame, fruites, or what they haue: and many Nations (we have heard) that had not gummes & incense, obtained their requests with a leauened Cake. It vvas no fault to approch their Gods, by what meanes they could: And the most,. though meanest, of things are made more precious, when they are dedicated to Temples. In that name therefore, we most humbly confecrate to your H. H. these remaines of your feruant Shakefpeare; that what delight is in them, may be euer your L.L. the reputation his, & the faults ours, if any be committed, by a payre fo carefull to fhew their gratitude both to the living, and the dead, as is Your Lordshippes most bounden, IOHN HEMINGE, HENRY CONDELL. To the great Variety of Readers. Rom the most able, to him that can but fpell: There you are number'd. We had rather you were weighd. Especially, when the fate of all Bookes depends vpon your capacities: and not of your heads alone, but of your purfes. Well! it is now publique, & you wil ftand for your priuiledges wee know: to read, and cenfure. Do fo, but buy it first. That doth best commend a Booke, the Stationer faies. Then, how odde foeuer your braines be, or your wifedomes, make your licence the fame, and spare not. Iudge your fixe-pen'orth, your fhillings worth, your fiue fhillings worth at a time, or higher, so you rife to the iuft rates, and welcome. But, what euer you do, Buy. Cenfure will not driue a Trade, or make the Iacke go. And though you be a Magistrate of wit, and fit on the Stage at Black-Friers, or the Cock-pit, to arraigne Playes dailie, know, thefe Playes haue had their triall alreadie, and stood out all Appeales; and do now come forth quitted rather by a Decree of Court, then any purchas'd Letters of commendation. It had bene a thinge, we confeffe, worthie to haue bene wished, that the Author himselfe had liu'd to haue fet forth, and ouerfeen his owne writings; But fince it hath bin ordain'd otherwife, and he by death departed from that right, we pray you do not envie his Friends, the office of their care, and paine, to haue collected & publish'd them; and fo to haue publish'd them, as where (before) you were abus’d with diurse stolne, and furreptitious copies, maimed, and deformed by the frauds and stealthes of iniurious impostors, that expos'd them: euen those, are now offer'd to your view cur'd, and perfect of their limbes; and all the rest, absolute in their numbers, as he conceived them. Who, as he was a happie imitator of Nature, was a most gentle expreffer of it. His mind and hand went together: And what he thought, he vttered with that eafineffe, that wee haue fcarce receiued receiued from him a blot in his papers. But it is not our prouince, who onely gather his works, and giue them you, to praise him. It is yours that reade him. And there we hope, to your diuers capacities, you will finde enough, both to draw, and hold you: for his wit can no more lie hid, then it could be lost. Reade him, therefore; and againe, and againe : And if then you doe not like him, surely you are in fome manifest danger, not to vnderstand him. And so we leaue you to other of his Friends, whom if you need, can bee your guides: if you neede them not, you can leade your felues, and others. And fuch Readers we wish him. John Heminge. To the memory of my beloued, the AVTHOR MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: AND what he hath left vs. O draw no enuy. (Shakespeare) on thy name, Which, when it founds at best, but eccho's right; A little further, to make thee a roome: I meane with great, but disproportion'd Muses: And And though thou hadst fmall Latine, and leffe Greeke, Paccuuius, Accius, him of Cordoua dead, Of all, that infolent Greece, or haughtie Rorne And all the Mufes ftill were in their prime, Our eares, or like a Mercury to charme! Nature her felfe was proud of his defignes, And ioy'd to weare the dressing of his lines! Which were fo richly spun, and wouen so fit, As, fince, she will vouchsafe no other Wit. The merry Greeke, tart Aristophanes, Neat Terence, witty Plautus, now not please; But antiquated, and deferted lye As they were not of Natures family. Yet must I not giue Nature all: Thy Art, His Art doth giue the fashion. And, that he, (And himfelfe with it) that he thinkes to frame; Or for the lawrell, he may gaine a scorne, For a good Poet's made, as well as borne. Of Shakespeares mind, and manners brightly fbines In each of which, he feemes to shake a Lance, To fee thee in our waters yet appeare, Ant |