These lists prove that the Folio is the more carefully printed. Its more harmful faults are those of omission, while the Quarto's are those of commission. There are not a dozen places where an undoubtedly and altogether wrong word in the Folio is set right by the Quarto. There are over three dozen (apart from my preference-readings, which are often of much consequence) where the Folio corrects the Quarto. The omissions are the chief fault in the Folio, comparatively speaking, but the Quarto is not blameless in this respect-witness the closing words of the play. But the above analysis leads me to another conclusion. Setting this examination by itself, apart from any preconceived theories on the subject, or conclusions based upon what seems to have happened in the case of other plays, what does this evidence point to with regard to the connection between the two editions? I conclude that the two texts were independently printed, and that the Folio edition was not a reprint of the Quarto. Both seem to me to have been printed from a prompter's or actor's copy, in which, probably, authentic alterations and corrections had been made. And the Folio printers, though sufficiently careless, made a better use of their copy than those of the Quarto did. Perhaps this may seem to be a needless and narrow disquisition with regard to any of Shakespeare's plays at this period of restful acceptation of the Globe text. But we are confronted in this play with so many difficulties and doubts, and with such a diversity of opinions on various readings, that it seems to be unavoidable in any exhaustive edition. There is no other way of estimating or displaying the respective values of the two texts. I have still to mention a few other passages where I depart from the received readings. This list will serve also to collect in a cluster most of the notorious textual cruxes and corruptions in the play. I shall merely give my reading here, with the references to their positions and my notes. Those in brackets are quite unequal in importance to the rest. (sworn. 1. i. 114.) do you note, men ? III. i. 21. (0.0.0. 111. i. 141, etc.; 1v. iii. 230, 286, etc.) signior-junior. III. i. 171. whitely. III. i. 187. school of night. IV. iii. 252. pendant-like or} v. ii. 67. Price. v. ii. 224. or} v. ii. 538. Abate [a] throw or My references throughout, to plays other than the present of Shakespeare's, are to the Globe edition, except when mentioned otherwise. The illustrations in the notes are almost entirely of my own gathering; where they are not I have made it a rule to mention to whom I have been indebted. In these days of reprints, and of the great New English Dictionary, very many storehouses of research are available which were not so to our less fortunate predecessors. Furness' valuable Variorum edition of the play made its appearance exactly when I required it, and it has been a constant assistance -saving great labour by its copious references to, and extracts from, the commentators. As usual, Schmidt's Lexicon and Murray's monumental Dictionary, already mentioned, have been continually in my hands. To our kind-hearted general editor, my old and valued friend, Mr. Craig, my gratitude is due for several useful notes. Let me here offer him my hearty congratulations upon the completion of his Labour of Love, his delightful Little Quarto Shakespeare completed, as I complete this, in September, 1905. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ1 FERDINAND, King of Navarre. BIRON, 2 LONGAVILLE, Lords attending on the King. BOYET,5 MERCADE, Lords attending the Princess of France. HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster. JAQUENETTA, a country Wench. Officers and others, Attendants on the King and Princess. 1"The enumeration of the persons was made by Mr. Rowe" (Johnson). 2 Biron] Berowne or Beroune Qq 1, 2, F 1, and some modern edd. 3 Longaville] Longavill or Longavile Qq 1, 2, F 1; rhymes with ill in ïv. iii. 121, with mile, v. ii. 54. 4 Dumain] Dumane or Dumaine F 1, etc.; Dumaine, some modern edd. 5 Boyet] rhymes with debt, v. ii. 333. 6 Mercade] Marcade Qq, Ff, and some modern edd. 7 Adriano de Armado] Adriana de Armado, or Armatho. 8 Costard] Clown, old stage-directions. 9 Moth] Mote, suggested by Grant White, in agreement with pronunciation in the play. 10 Rosaline] rhymes with mine or thine. |