Excerpt from The Dramatic Works of Ben Jonson, and Beaumont and Fletcher, Vol. 1 of 4

The favourable reception, which the 'labours of those applauded men have met with from the publick, who have given new and correct editions of our English poets, illustrated with notes, was a principal inducement for publishing the works of Jonson 1n the same manner. A good edition of this author was much wanted; and if properly performed, would be deserving well of our literature and language. It 15 only to he wished, that the edition now presented to the reader, may be executed with as much taste and judgment, as those which have preceded it in the same kind of criticism.

The plan which we have followed, is what a just criticism upon any author doth naturally require. Care hath been taken, to exhibit the text with the utmost correctness and notes are added, to explain those places which seemed most to need them. These are of two kinds; such as illustrate his sentiments, and such as point out and support the peculiar marks of his appropriate character. Under the first of these, are included the obscurities of diction and expression, and what arise from allusions to the customs of the age, and the fashions then m use. The second chiefly consists of passages from antient authors, which Jonson, who had various and extensive learning, hath imitated or adopted as his own. In printing the text, we have had a much easier task, than the i onions editors of our other dramatic poets; for a folio volume of onson's works was printed in his life-time, and under his own inspection so that we have an authentic copy for our pattern, and which we found of great use in correcting the mistakes of subsequent editions. In following this copy we had little else to do, than to set right some errors of the press, and a corrupted passage or two, which seem to have been derived from the same source. That part of his works which were published after his death, was undoubtedly printed from his original manuscripts; but as they had not the benefit of the author' 3 revisal, there are many more, as well as more material blunders 111 that volume, than 1a the volume I have just now men tinned; but these mistakes are now, as we h0pe, properly emended.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.