The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [3117]
—Naturâ sublimis & Acer Nam spirat Tragicum satis & fæliciter Audet, Sed turpem putat in Chartis metuitq; Lituram.
There is a Book of Poems, publish'd in 1640, under the Name of Mr. William Shakespear, but as I have but very lately seen it, without an Opportunity of making any Judgment upon it, I won't pretend to determine, whether it be his or no.
SHAKESPEARE: HIS LIFE, ART, AND CHARACTERS by Henry Norman Hudson
An American critic, Henry N. Hudson was also known as a farmer, coach-maker, school teacher, a Boston churchman and literati, popular lecturer and friend of Emerson and editor of Shakespeare. His first edition of Shakespeare appeared in 11 volumes from 1851-1856, preceded by that of Verplanck. His School Shakespeare appeared in 1870, in 1872 Shakespeare His Life, Art and Characters, finally in 1881 his Harvard Shakespeare appeared in 20 volumes (see links below).
After the Civil War, Hudson became the most popular editor of Shakespeare in America. Hudson's edition is noted for its conservatism. The Harvard Edition was to be "set forth on conservative principles but without dotage or bigotry". His editions achieved wide popularity, serving to bolster Shakespeare as a broad new American cultural centrepiece.
Henry N. Hudson editor of the "Harvard Shakespeare"
CONTENTS
LIFE OF SHAKESPEARE.
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THE DRAMA IN ENGLAND.
MIRACLE-PLAYS
MORAL-PLAYS.
COMEDY AND TRAGEDY.
SHAKESPEARE'S CONTEMPORARIES.
SHAKESPEARE'S ART
NATURE AND USE OF ART.
PRINCIPLES OF ART.
DRAMATIC COMPOSITION.
CHARACTERIZATION.
HUMOUR.
STYLE.
MORAL SPIRIT.
SHAKESPEARE'S CHARACTERS.
A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
AS YOU LIKE IT.
TWELFTH NIGHT; OR, WHAT YOU WILL.
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
THE TEMPEST.
THE WINTER'S TALE.
LIFE OF SHAKESPEARE.
Shakespeare, by general suffrage, is the greatest name in literature. There can be no extravagance in saying, that to all who speak the English language his genius has made the world better worth living in, and life a nobler and diviner thing. And even among those who do not "speak the tongue that Shakespeare spake," large numbers are studying the English language mainly for the purpose of being at home with him. How he came to be what he was, and to do what he did, are questions that can never cease to be interesting, wherever his works are known, and men's powers of thought in any fair measure developed. But Providence has left a veil, or rather a cloud, about his history, so that these questions are not likely to be satisfactorily answered.
The first formal attempt at an account of Shakespeare's life was made by Nicholas Rowe, and the result thereof published in 1709, ninety-three years after the Poet's death. Rowe's account was avowedly made up, for the most part, from traditionary materials collected by Betterton the actor, who made a visit to Stratford expressly for that purpose. Betterton was born in 1635, nineteen years after the death of Shakespeare; became an actor before 1660, retired from the stage about 1700, and died in 1710. At what time he visited Stratford is not known. It is to be regretted that Rowe did not give Betterton's authorities for the particulars gathered by him. It is certain, however, that very good sources of information were accessible in his time: Judith Quiney, the Poet's second daughter, lived till 1662; Lady Barnard, his granddaughter, till 1670; and Sir William Davenant, who in his youth had known Shakespeare, was manager of the theatre in which Betterton acted.
After Rowe's account, scarce any thing was added till the time of Malone, who by a learned and most industrious searching of public and private records