[Prefaces and Prologues to Famous Books by Charles W. Eliot]@TWC D-Link bookPrefaces and Prologues to Famous Books PREFACE TO THE FIRST FOLIO EDITION OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS ( 1623)[A]
TO THE GREAT VARIETY OF READERS
From the most able, to him that can but spell: There you are number'd 2/5
Then, how odde soeuer your braines be, or your wisedomes, make your licence the same, and spare not.
Iudge your sixe-pen'orth, your shillings worth, your fiue shillings worth at a time, or higher, so you rise to the iust rates, and welcome.
But, what euer you do, Buy.
Censure will not driue a Trade, or make the Iacke go.
And though you be a Magistrate of wit, and sit on the Stage at _Black-Friers_, or the _Cock-pit_, to arraigne Playes dailie, know, these Playes haue had their triall alreadie, and stood out all Appeals; 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 haue bene wished, that the Author himselfe had liu'd to haue set forth, and ouerseen his owne writings.
<<Back Index Next>> D-Link book Top TWC mobile books
|