Whereto my finger, like a dial's point, Groom. Hail, royal prince! K. Rich. What art thou? and how comest thou SCENE VI. Where no man never comes, but that sad dog Groom. I was a poor groom of thy stable, king, K. Rich. Rode he on Barbary? Tell me, gentle How went he under him? Groom. So proudly, as if he disdain'd the ground. That jade hath eat bread from my royal hand; Enter Keeper, with a Dish. Keep. Fellow, give place; here is no longer stay. [To the Groom. K. Rich. If thou love me, 'tis time thou wert Groom. What my tongue dares not, that my heart Keep. My lord, will't please you to fall to? Lately came from the king, commands the contrary: thee! Flourish. - Windsor. [Exeunt. A Room in the Castle. Enter BOLINGBROKE, and YORK, with Boling. Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear But whether they be ta'en, or slain, we hear not. Enter NORTHUMBERLAND. Welcome, my lord: What is the news? North. First, to thy sacred state wish I all hap- The next news is, I have to London sent [Presenting a paper. Boling. We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains; And to thy worth will add right worthy gains. Enter FITZWater. Fitz. My lord, I have from Oxford sent to London Enter PERCY, with the BISHOP OF CARLISLE. Percy. The grand conspirator, abbot of Westminster, With clog of conscience, and sour melancholy, Enter EXTON, with Attendants bearing a Coffin. A deed of slander, with thy fatal hand, PREFACE OF THE EDITOR TO THE TWO PARTS OF HENRY IV. My late excellent friend, Mrs. Montagu, in her Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakspeare, has paid particular attention to Henry the IVth. In this, as in every part of her work, good principles, judicious argument, and refined taste, appear in all her observations; but I confine myself to the more immediate objects of the present publication, purity, and decency of expression. Every person must be sensible, that of all the historical plays, the Two Parts of Henry the IVth are the most difficult to render fit for family reading. To clear them of all indecent, and indelicate expressions, without destroying the wit and spirit of Falstaff, and without injuring the narrative, is indeed an arduous undertaking; but I hope I may remove many objectionable passages, though I may not be able to render the work perfect. "Est quadam prodire tenus, si non datur ultra." Feeling the difficulty of the task, I take as a guide the following extract from the just observations of my deceased friend: "There are delicacies of decorum in one age unknown to another age: but whatever is immoral, is equally blameable in all ages; and every approach to obscenity, is an offence, for which wit cannot atone, nor the barbarism or the corruption of the times afford an excuse. Mine hostess Quickly is of a species not extinct. It may be said, the author there sinks from comedy to farce; but she helps to complete the character of Falstaff, and some of the dialogues in which she is engaged are diverting. Every scene in which Doll Tearsheet appears, is indecent; and therefore not only indefensible, but inexcusable." After the foregoing quotation, my readers will not be surprised, if the name of the last-mentioned person is not to be found in the following plays. The I hope that all obscenity is equally banished from Other persons may possibly complain that there still remain in this work some expressions which are not consistent with that perfect delicacy of sentiment, with which it were desirable that every publication should be conducted. To this objection I fear that I can give no answer that will be quite satisfactory. I can only say, that I have endeavoured to render the speeches of Falstaff and his companions ar correct as they could be rendered, without losing sight of their characters and dispositions. Those persons who still object to their language, cannot I believe do better, than confine their reading to the serious parts of the three following plays, which possess such merit, as can hardly be equalled in any other dramatic poet, and is seldom exceeded by our own immortal bard. |