can make thee, here thou art rectified; or be as healthful as the inward calm of an honest heart, learning, and temper can state thy disposition, yet this book may be thy fortunate concernment and companion

It is not so remote in time but very many gentlemen may remember these authors; and some, familiar in their conversation, deliver them upon every pleasant occasion so fluent, to talk a comedy. He must be a bold man that dares undertake to write their lives: what I have to say is, we have the precious remains; and as the wisest contemporaries acknowledge they lived a miracle, I am very confident this volume cannot die without one.

What more specially concerns these authors and their works, is told thee by another hand, in the following epistle of the Stationer to the Readers.

Farewell: Read, and fear not thine own understanding; this book will create a clear one in thee: and when thou hast considered thy purchase, thou wilt call the price of it a charity to thyself; and, at the same time, forgive

Thy friend,

And these authors' humble admirer,

JAMES SHIRLEY.3

$ James Shirley. It is much to be regretted that this ingenious gentleman did nothing more to the first folio than writing the preface; we should not then so justly lament the incorrectness of that edition.-Ed. 1778.

That Shirley should have given us a critically correct edition of our authors it is idle to wish, as such a thing was almost unknown at the time. The only tolerably correct edition of a dramatic work then was Ben Jonson's collection of his own works. It is much more to be regretted that Shirley should have been deterred, by his modesty, from writing the lives of our authors.

THE

STATIONER TO THE READERS.

(FOLIO, 1647.)

GENTLEMEN,

BEFORE you engage further, be pleased to take notice of these particulars: You have here a new book; I can speak it clearly; for of all this large volume of comedies and tragedies, not one, till now, was ever printed before. A collection of plays is commonly but a new impression, the scattered pieces which were printed single being then only re-published together: 'Tis otherwise here.

Next, as it is all new, so here is not any thing spurious or imposed: I had the originals from such as received them from the authors themselves; by those, and none other, I publish this edition.

And as here is nothing but what is genuine and theirs, so you will find here are no omissions; you have not only all that I could get, but all that you must ever expect. For, besides those which were formerly printed, there is not any piece written by

these authors, either jointly or severally, but what are now published to the world in this volume.* One only play I must except (for I mean to deal openly;) it is a comedy called The Wild-Goose Chase, which hath been long lost, and I fear irrecoverable; for a person of quality borrowed it from the actors many years since, and, by the negligence of a servant, it was never returned; therefore now I put up this si quis, that whosoever hereafter happily meets with it shall be thankfully satisfied if he please to send it home.

Some plays, you know, written by these authors, were heretofore printed; I thought not convenient to mix them with this volume, which of itself is entirely new. And, indeed, it would have rendered the book so voluminous, that ladies and gentlewomen would have found it scarce manageable, who, in works of this nature, must first be remembered. Besides, I considered those former pieces had been so long printed and reprinted, that many gentlemen were already furnished; and I would have none say they pay twice for the same book.

One thing I must answer before it be objected; 'tis this: When these comedies and tragedies were presented on the stage, the actors omitted some scenes and passages, with the authors' consent, as occasion led them; and when private friends desired a copy, they then, and justly too, transcribed what they acted: but now you have both all that

4 The stationer, for the credit of his book, makes an assertion in this place which is not borne out by the fact, as we know, from unquestionable authority, that several plays are lost, probably irrecoverably.

5 The Wild-Goose Chase.] This comedy, in the year 1652, was published in folio by Lowin and Taylor, two of the players, with a" Dedication to the Honour'd Few Lovers of Dramatick Poesie," and several commendatory verses annexed.-Ed. 1778.

was acted, and all that was not; even the perfect full originals, without the least mutilation; so that, were the authors living, and sure they can never die, they themselves would challenge neither more nor less than what is here published; this volume being now so complete and finished, that the reader must expect no future alterations.

For little errors committed by the printer, it is the fashion to ask pardon, and as much in fashion to take no notice of him that asks it; but in this also I have done my endeavour. 'Twere vain to mention the chargeableness of this work; for those who owned the manuscripts too well knew their value to make a cheap estimate of any of these pieces; and though another joined with me in the purchase and printing, yet the care and pains was wholly mine, which I found to be more than you will easily imagine, unless you knew into how many hands the originals were dispersed: they are all now happily met in this book, having escaped these public troubles, free and unmangled. Heretofore, when gentlemen desired but a copy of any any of these plays, the meanest piece here, (if any may be called mean where every one is best) cost them more than four times the price you pay for the whole volume.

I should scarce have adventured in these slippery times on such a work as this, if knowing persons had not generally assured me that these authors were the most unquestionable wits this kingdom hath afforded. Mr Beaumont was ever acknowledged a man of a most strong and searching brain, and, his years considered, the most judicious wit these later ages have produced; he died young, for (which was an invaluable loss to this nation) he left the world when he was not full thirty years old. Mr Fletcher survived, and lived till almost fifty, whereof the world now enjoys the benefit. It

was once in my thoughts to have printed Mr Fletcher's works by themselves, because single and alone he would make a just volume; but since never parted while they lived, I conceived it not equitable to separate their ashes.

it becomes not me to say, though it be a known truth, that these authors had not only high unexpressible gifts of nature, but also excellent acquired parts, being furnished with arts and sciences by that liberal education they had at the university, which, sure, is the best place to make a great wit understand itself; this their works will soon make evident. I was very ambitious to have got Mr Beaumont's picture, but could not possibly, though I spared no inquiry in those noble families whence he was descended, as also among those gentlemen that were his acquaintance when he was of the Inner-Temple; the best pictures, and those most like him, you will find in this volume. This figure of Mr Fletcher was cut by several original pieces, which his friends lent me ; but withal they tell me, that his unimitable soul did shine through his countenance in such air and spirit, that the painters confessed it was not easy to express him: As much as could be you have here, and the graver hath done his part.

Whatever I have seen of Mr Fletcher's own hand is free from interlining; and his friends affirm he never writ any one thing twice."

1

It seems

"Fletcher's works by themselves. If Mr Moseley could have made this separation, it is greatly to be regretted that he left us no intimation which plays were written by Fletcher alone.— Ed. 1778.

There is no doubt that he could have done what he asserts he had it in contemplation to do.

He never writ any one thing twice.] May we not suppose this to have been a sort of common-place compliment? but surely it