rashnesse; rashnesse in the enterprize, and feare of the successe. For, when we valew the places your H. H. sustaine, we cannot but know their dignity greater, then to descend to the reading of these trifles: and, while we name them trifles, we have depriv'd our selves of the defence of our Dedication. But since your L. L. have beene pleas'd to thinke these trifles something, heeretofore; and have prosequuted both them, and their Authour living, with so much favour: we hope, that (they outliving him, and he not having the fate, common with some, to be exequutor to his owne writings) you will use the like indulgence toward them, you have done unto their parent. There is a great difference, whether any Booke choose his Patrones, or finde them: This hath done both. For, so much were your L. L. likings of the severall parts, when they were acted, as before they were published, the volume ask'd to be yours. We have but collected them, and done an office to the dead, to procure his Orphanes, Guardians; without ambition either of selfeprofit, or fame: onely to keep the memory of so worthy a Friend, and Fellow alive, as was our Shakespeare, by humble offer of his playes, to your most noble patronage. Wherein, as we have justly observed, no man to come neere your L. L. but with a kind of religious addresse; it hath bin the height of our care, who are the Presenters, to make the present worthy of your H. H. by the perfection. But, there we must also crave our abilities to be consider'd, my Lords. We cannot go beyond our owne powers. Country hands reach foorth milke, creame, fruites, or what they have and many Nations (we have heard) that had not gummes and incense, obtained their requests with a leavened Cake. It was no fault to approch their Gods, by what meanes they could: And the most, though meanest, of things are made more precious, when they are dedicated to Temples. In that name therefore, we most humbly consecrate to your H. H. these remaines of your servant Shakespeare; that what delight is in them, may be ever your L. L. the reputation his, and the fault ours, if any be committed, by a payre so caerfull to shew their gratitude both to the living, and the dead, as is "Your Lordshippes' most bounden, "JOHN HEMINGE. Our readers will naturally enough ask who the noblemen were, thus freely appealed to; and what kind of persons put forth the appeal? The answer is simple enough the former were amongst the highest in the land, and the latter were just those very individuals most intimately acquainted with the private life and affairs of the poet, for whose works they besought patronage and favour. It will be sufficient for our present purpose to obtain some particulars concerning one of the noblemen thus addressed, the highest in rank, station, and authority; and having satisfied ourselves upon this point, to pass on to other matters. The most distinguished of the noble pair who are said to have treated the author of these dramas with so much favour, while living, was William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, justly regarded as the glory of his age. His mother was Mary, the sister of that true mirror of chivalry, Sir Philip Sydney. She died in 1621, and Ben Jonson, in seeking to do honour to her memory, composed one of the most beautiful epitaphs in any language: "Underneath this marble hearse In 1609 Lord Pembroke was appointed governor of Portsmouth, and in 1615 he was made Lord Chamberlain of the household. He was also elected Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and enjoyed the confidence "His of all classes of the community. Wood says, mind was purely heroic, often stout, but never disloyal."* That biographer continues :-"He was not only a great favourer of learned and ingenious men, but was himself learned;" and he was well known as the author of several small poems. He died in 1630. In Clarendon's magnificent Portrait-Gallery this nobleman occupies a most prominent position. Thus is he delineated: 66 William, Earl of Pembroke, was a man of another mould and making, and of another fame and reputation with all men, being the most universally loved and esteemed of any man of that age; and having a great office in the court, he made the court itself better esteemed, and more reverenced in the country. And as he had a great number of friends of the best men, so no man had ever the wickedness to avow himself to be his enemy. He was a man very well bred, and of excellent parts, and a graceful speaker upon any subject, having a good proportion of learning, and a ready wit to apply it, and enlarge upon it; of a pleasant and facetious humour, and a disposition affable, generous, and magnificent. He was master of a great fortune from his ancestors, and had a great addition by his wife, another daughter and heir of the Earl of Shrewsbury, which he enjoyed during his life, she outliving him but all served not his expense, which was only limited by his great mind, and occasions to use it nobly. He was a great lover of his country, and of the religion and justice, which he believed could only support it; and his friendships were only with men of those principles. And as his conversation was most with men of the most pregnant parts and understanding, so towards any who needed support or encouragement, though unknown, if fairly recommended to him, he was very liberal. And sure never man was planted in a court, that was fitter * Athenæ Oxonienses. for that soil, or brought better qualities with him to purify that air."* These are gracious praises; and, to say nothing of his brother Philip, who was associated with him in this dedicatory epistle, it hardly seems possible that Bacon would have allowed this insult to have been offered to a nobleman of Lord Pembroke's influence and authority, had he really been the author of those dramas then, according to Mr. William Henry Smith's view of the case, palmed off upon the world as the productions of William Shakespeare. It must be noticed, that this is no simple complimentary dedication. The writers state plainly that the Earl of Pembroke had favoured the author of these plays while living,—that he liked the several parts when acted; thus signifying that he and all the world were well acquainted with the fact of their authorship; and while they address this nobleman by his proper title, they sign their own names to the dedication. Rarely is fraud or forgery of any kind committed in this open business-like manner. Indeed, they associate with him his brother, the Earl of Montgomery, and by their conduct in each part of the transaction, give an air of truth and honesty to the proceeding. These indefatigable editors, and, according to Mr. William Henry Smith's statement, egregious liars, endeavoured next to win the confidence and favour of the general public. Having dedicated the work to two noblemen, who were acquainted with its author, and admirers of his unrivalled genius, they seek to establish friendly relations with the reading portion of the community. A kind of preface, "To the great Variety of Readers," couched in these terms, comes next : From the most able, to him that can but spell: There you are number'd. We had rather you were * Works; edition 1849, vol. i. book i. s. 120, p. 80, &c. weighd. Especially, when the fate of all Bookes depends upon your capacities: and not of your heads alone, but of your purses. Well! It is now publique, and you wil stand for your priviledges wee know: to read, and censure. Do so, but buy it first. That doth best commend a Booke, the Stationer saies. Then, how odde soever your braines be, or your wisedomes, make your licence the same, and spare not. Judge your sixpen❜orth, your shilling's worth, your five shillings' worth at a time, or higher, so you rise to the just rates, and welcome. But, what ever you do, Buy. Censure will not drive a Trade, or make the Jacke go. And though you be a Magistrate of wit, and sit on the Stage at Black-Friers, or the Cockpit, to arraigne Playes dailie, know, these Playes have had their triall alreadie, and stood out all Appeales; and do now come forth quitted rather by a Decree of Court, then any purchas'd Letters of commendation. It had bene a thing, we confesse, worthie to have been wished, that the Author himselfe had liv'd to have set forth, and overseen his owne writings; But since it hath bin ordain'd otherwise, and he by death departed. from that right, we pray you do not envie his Friends, the office of their care, and paine, to have collected and publish'd them; and so to have publish'd them, as where [before] you were abus'd with diverse stolne, and surreptitious copies, maimed and deformed by the frauds and stealthes of injurious impostors, that expos'd them : even those, are now offer'd to your view cur'd, and perfect of their limbes; and all the rest, absolute in their numbers, as he conceived them. Who, as he was a happie imitator of Nature, was a most gentle expresser of it. His mind and hand went together: And what he thought, he uttered with that easinesse, that wee have scarse received from him a blot in his papers. But it is not our province, who onely gather his works, and give them you, to praise him. It is yours that reade him. And there we hope, to your divers capacities, you will finde enough, |