author's plays: but, on the contrary, it may be judged, from the fore-mentioned preface, that it was one of his last; and the great number of observations, both moral and politick, with which this piece is crouded more than any other of his, seems to confirm my opinion. POPE. We may learn, from this preface, that the original proprietors of Shakspeare's plays thought it their interest to keep them unprinted. The author of it adds, at the conclusion, these words: "Thank fortune for the 'scape it hath made among you, since, by the grand possessors' wills, I believe you should rather have prayed for them, than have been prayed," &c. By the grand possessors, I suppose were meant Heming and Condell. It appears that the rival play-houses at that time made frequent depredations on one another's copies. In the induction to The Malcontent, written by Webster, and augmented by Marston, 1606, is the following passage:: "I wonder you would play it, another company having interest in it." 66 Why not Malevole in folio with us, as Jeronimo in decimo sexto with them? They taught us a name for our play; we call it One for another." Again, T. Heywood, in his preface to The English Traveller, 1633: "Others of them are still retained in the hands of some actors, who think it against their peculiar profit to have them come in print." STEEVENS. Notwithstanding what has been said by a late editor, [Mr. Capell,] I have a copy of the first folio, including Troilus and Cressida. Indeed, it was at first either unknown or forgotten. It does not however appear in the list of the plays, and is thrust in between the histories and the tragedies without any enumeration of the pages; except, I think, on one leaf only. It differs entirely from the copy in the second folio. FARMER. I have consulted at least twenty copies of the first folio, and Troilus and Cressida is not wanting in any of them. STEEVens. PREFACE TO THE QUARTO EDITION OF THIS PLAY, 1609. A never Writer to an ever Reader. Newes. Eternal reader, you have heere a new play, never stal'd with the stage, never clapper-claw'd with the palmes of the vulger, and yet passing full of the palme comicall; for it is a birth of your [r. that] braine, that never under-tooke any thing commicall, vainely: and were but the vaine names of commedies changde for the titles of commodities, or of playes for pleas; you should see all those grand censors, that now stile them such vanities, flock to them for the maine grace of their gravities: especially this authors commedies that are so fram'd to the life, that they serve for the most common commentaries of all the actions of our lives, shewing such a dexteritie and power of witte, that the most displeased with playes, are pleasd with his commedies. And all such dull and heavy-witted worldlings, as were never capable of the witte of a commedie, comming by report of them to his representations, have found that witte there, that they never found in them-selves, and have parted better-wittied than they came: feeling an edge of witte set upon them, more than ever they dreamd they had braine to grind it on. So much and such savored salt of witte is in his commedies, that they seeme (for their height of pleasure) to be borne in that sea that brought forth Venus. Amongst all there is none more witty than this: and had I time I would comment upon it, though I know it needs not, (for so much as will make you thinke your testerne well bestowd,) but for so much worth, as even poore I know to be stuft in it. It deserves such a labour, as well as the best commedy in Terence or Plautus. And beleeve this, that when hee is gone, and his commedies out of sale, you will scramble for them, and set up a new English inquisition. Take this for a warning, and at the perill of your pleasures losse, and judgments, refuse not, nor like this the lesse, for not being sullied with the smoaky breath of the multitude; but thanke fortune for the 'scape it hath made amongst you: since by the grand possessors' wills I believe you should have prayd for them, [r. it] rather than beene prayd. And so I leave all such to bee pray'd for (for the states of their wits healths) that will not praise it. Vale. PROLOGUE. In Troy, there lies the scene. From isles of Greece The princes orgulous', their high blood chaf'd, With wanton Paris sleeps; And that's the quarrel. And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits, The princes orgulous,] Orgulous, i. e. proud, disdainful. Orgueilleux, Fr. 2 fulfilling bolts,] To fulfil, in this place, means to fill till there be no room for more. In this sense it is now obsolete. 3 Sperr up the sons of Troy.] To sperre, or spar, from the old Teutonick word speren, signifies to shut up, defend by bars, &c. • A prologue arm'd,] I come here to speak the prologue, and Of author's pen, or actor's voice; but suited To tell you, fair beholders, that our play Leaps o'er the vaunt' and firstlings of those broils, Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are; Now good, or bad, 'tis but the chance of war. come in armour; not defying the audience, in confidence of either the author's or actor's abilities, but merely in a character suited to the subject, in a dress of war, before a warlike play. 5 the vaunt] i. e. the avant, what went before. CALCHAS, a Trojan Priest, taking part with the Greeks. PANDARUS, Uncle to Cressida. MARGARELON, a bastard Son of Priam. THERSITES, a deformed and scurrilous Grecian. ALEXANDER, Servant to Cressida. Servant to Troilus; Servant to Paris; Servant to Diomedes. HELEN, Wife to Menelaus. ANDROMACHE, Wife to Hector. CASSANDRA, Daughter to Priam; a Prophetess. Trojan and Greek Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE, TROY, and the Grecian Camp before it. |