PREFAC E. THE text of this edition of King Henry the Fifth is essentially that of the first folio (see p. 10) collated with the quartos and the leading modern editions. For the readings of the quartos I have depended mainly on the Cambridge edition and the reprints of the New Shakspere Society. The notes, when not original, are as a rule credited to the sources whence they are derived. It has been my aim, as in the earlier volumes of the series, to give in concise form all the comments of former editors that seemed of any real value or interest; in other words, to prepare what may be called a popular "Variorum " edition for the general reader and student, as distinguished from an exhaustive work for the critic and the advanced scholar such as my friend Furness is elaborating. I have kept in mind the fact that few persons, not excepting teachers in our high schools and academies, have ready access to a complete Shakespearian library; and that few except teachers would often avail themselves of such a library if it were open to them. In schools, moreover, it is simply impossible for all the members of a large class to make systematic use of the limited number of books of reference in the library. Each pupil really needs all of them all the time he is preparing his lesson, but there are perhaps twenty or thirty others who want them at the same time. I have endeavoured to render the student comparatively independent of books of reference. With the "Globe" Shakespeare-the cheapest and most convenient of the " complete" editions-and Abbott's Shakespearian Grammar "-which no student can afford to do without -he is fully equipped for his work. The former book enables him to look up all the quoted passages in which Shakespeare is allowed to be his own commentator, and the latter explains and illustrates the pecul 66 iarities of the poet's English; the notes furnish everything else that is needed in the ordinary study of the text. So far as I am aware, no other edition gives frequent references to Abbott, and no other gives with equal fulness the "various readings" and critical comments on controverted passages. Indeed, no other edition known to me (with the single exception of Furness's) contains so large and varied a body of notes. Most of these are condensed to the utmost, but I have found room for a long note whenever it was necessary for the thorough elucidation of the text. I am here only stating what my plan has been, and how I have tried to carry it out, without presuming to claim that the plan is the best possible or the execution faultless. While I am grateful for the favour with which the little books have thus far been received, I shall be even more grateful for any friendly hint that may help me to make them better. Cambridge, Oct. 15, 1877. NOTE. In my references to other plays of Shakespeare, the numbers of the lines are invariably those of the "Globe" edition; as in Abbott's Grammar, Schmidt's Lexicon, etc. In the case of scenes entirely or partly in prose, these numbers may not correspond with those of my edition, on account of the differences in type and length of line. The references to Halliwell are to his great folio edition, kindly loaned me by my friend, Dr. J. R. Nichols. Those to Collier, Dyce, and Knight are to their second editions; those to Hudson are to his first edition. |