MR. SHIRLEY'S PREFACE.
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FOLIO, 1647.) Jr OETRY IS the child of nature, which, regulated and made beautiful bjrart, presenteth the most harmonious of all other compositions; amongwhich (if we rightly consider) the dramatical is the most absolute, inregard of those transcendent abilities which should wait upon the com-poser; who must have more than the instruction ^f libraries (which ofItself is but a cold contemplative knowledge), there Wng required in hima soul miraculously knowing and conversing with all 'mankind, enablinghim to express not only the phlegm and folly of thick-skinned men, butthe strength and maturity of the wise, the air and insinuations of thecourt, the discipline and resolution of the soldier, the virtues and passionsof every noble condition, nay the counsels and characters of the greatestprinces. This, you will say, is a vast comprehension, and hath not happened inmany ages. Be it then remembered, to the glory of our own, that allthese are demonstrative and met in Beaumont and Fletcher/ whom but tomention is to throw a cloud upon all former names, and benight poste-Tityi this book being, without flattery, the greatest monument of thescehe that time and humanity have produced, and must live, not only thecrown and sole reputation of our own, but the stain of all other nationsand languages^ for it may be boldly averred, not one indiscretion hathbranded this paper in all the lines, this being the authentic wit that madeBlackfriars an academy, where the three hours' spectacle, while Beau-mont and Fletcher were presented, was usually of more advantage to thtfhopeful young heir, than a costly, dangerous, foreign travel, with theassistance of a governing monsieur or signor to boot; and it cannot bedenied but that the young spirits of the time, whose birth and qualitymade them impatient of the sourer ways of education, have from the atten-tive hearing tnese pieces, got ground in point of wit and carriage of themost severely-employed students, while these recreations were digestedinto rules, and the very pleasure did edify. How many passable dis-coursing dining wits stand yet in good credit, upon the bare stock of twoor three of these single scenes! And now. Reader, in this tragical age, where the theatre hath been somuch out-acted, congratulate thy own happiness, that, in this silence ofthe stage, thou hast a liberty to read these inimitable plays, to dwell andconverse in those immortal groves, which were only shewed our fathersin a conjuriug-glass, as suddenly removed as represented; the hmJ-«cape is now brought home by this optic, and the press, thought toopregnant before, shall be now looked upon as the greatest benefactor toEnglishmen, that must acknowledge all the felicity of wit and words tothis derivation. You may here find passions raised to that excellent pitch, and by suchinsinuating degrees, that you shall not choose but consent, and go alongwith them, finding yourself at last grown insensibly the very same personyou read; and theris tand, admiring the subtil tracks of your engagement,fall on a scene of love, and you will never believe the writers could have the MR. SHIRLEY'S PREFACE. iii the least room left in their souls for another passion ; perus6 a scene ofmanly rage, and you would swear they cannot be expressed by the samehands; but both are so excellently wrought, you must confess none, butthe same hands, could work them. Would thy melancholy have a cure? thou shalt laugh at Democritushimself; and but reading one piece of this comic variety, find thy exaltedfancy in Elisium ; and when thou art sick of this cure, (for the excess ofdelight may too much dilate thy soul) thou shalt meet almost in every leafa soft purUug passion or spring of sorrow, so powerfully wrought high bythe tears of innocence, and wronged lovers, it shall persuade thy eyesto weep into the stream, and yet smile when they contribute to theirown rums. Infinitely more might be said of these rare copies ; but let the inge-nuous reader* peruse them, and he will find them so able to speak theirown worth, that they need not come into the world with a trumpet, sinceany one of these incomparable pieces, well understood, will^rove a Pre-face to the rest ; and if the reader can taste the best wit ever trod ourEnglish stage, he will be forced himself to become a breathing panegyricto tnem all. Not to detain or prepare thee longer, be as capricious and sick-brainedas ignorance and malice can make thee, here thou art rectified ; or be ashealthful as the iqward calm of an honest heart, learning, and tempercan state thy disposition, yet this book may be thy fortunate concernmentund companion. It is not so remote in time, but very many gentlemen may rememberthese authors; and some, familiar in their conversation, deliver them uponevery pleasant occasion so fluent, to talk a comedy. He must be a boldman that dares undertake to write their lives; Wnat I have to say is, wehave the precious remains ; and as the wisest contemporaries acknowledgethey livea a miracle, I am very confident this volume cannot die with-pout one. " f What more specially concerns these authors and their works is toldthee by another hand, in the following epistle of the Stationer to the{leaders. Farewell: Read, and fear not thine own understanding; this book willcreate 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 tim^I'orgive Thy friend, And these authors bumble admirer, James Shirlbt', * Ingenuous Reader,'] In Coles's Diet. l677» it is remarked, * Ingenuous and ingenious araloo often confounded.* 3 James ShirleyA It is much to be r^etted, that this ingenious gentleman did nothingmore to the First Folio than writing the rreface j WQ should not then so justly lament theincorrectness of that }£dition,
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