PROPOSALS FOR PUBLISHING A NEW AND IMPROVED EDITION OF SHAKSPEARE ILLUSTRATED.

BY CHARLOTTE LENNOX.

AT a very early period of the Author's life this Work was written, and published with all the vivacity and confidence of youth: Elated by discovering that she had traced from whence the immortal dramatic Poet of our nation had borrowed many of his plots, and fond of displaying her critical sagacity in shewing that he made use of the old transla­tions of CYNTHIO, BANDELLO, and ARIOSTO'S Tales and Novels, and not of the originals, of which she gives a new translation in this Work, she was thought by some to have treated SHAKSPEARE with less reverence than might have been wished. Nevertheless the Public was pleased to see so much merit in the performance, that it was received with very general favour, and was honoured by such marks of attention, as not to acknowledge would argue rather arrogance than modesty. The learned Professor GOTSCHED of LEIPSIC translated her remarks into the German language, and the illustrious Dr. JOHNSON adopted some of them in his edition of SHAKSPEARE. He presented her book to the University of Oxford, depositing it in the Bodleian library; and quoted it as one of the authorities in his Dictionary.

Now, when the fame of SHAKSPEARE has had considerable accessions by the labours of various commentators, and when, by a wide diffusion of good taste, his works justly enjoy a popularity so extensive, that the world is ready to afford the most liberal patronage to correct, elegant, and splendid editions of them, she is willing to flatter herself that her friends are not mistaken in thinking that her book, entitled, SHAKSPEARE ILLUSTRATED, may now advantageously be produced in a more respectable form, and with the improvements which, at a mature age, she trusts she can give it: She therefore proposes to publish it on the following

CONDITIONS.
  • I. THE Work to be elegantly printed in Two Volumes octavo; the price to Subscribers to be Twelve Shillings in boards.
  • II. The Work to be put to the press as soon as there is a sufficient number of Subscrib­ers; and it is to be hoped it will be ready for delivery in January 1794.

SUBSCRIPTIONS received at Mr. CADELL'S, in the Strand; Mr. DILLY'S, in the Poultry; Mr. HOOKHAM'S, in Bond Street; and Mr. BECKETT'S, in Pall-mall.

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