The Plays and Poems of George Chapman

contemporary and modern, and record the various readings of the old editions, where more than one exists, except in the case of mere variants of spelling. Even these latter are noted, however, when they may throw light upon any difficulty. The readings from the old texts are, of course, given verbatim et literatim, so that the reader may see how far the alterations proposed or adopted are justified. I have recorded also the most important emendations proposed by modern editors or commentators even when these have not been received into the text. In short, I have tried to make these notes full enough to enable the reader who is interested in such things to check my text, to restore, if he so pleases, the old, or perhaps to suggest a better reading than that which I have adopted.

Finally, my thanks are due to scholars on both sides of the Atlantic who have assisted me in my labours. First of all to the late Doctor Furnivall, to whom this volume is dedicated, as a slight token of gratitude for many instances of personal kindness and scholarly counsel; then to Dr. Bradley, Mr. P. A. Daniel, and Mr. Le Gay Brereton, from all of whom I have received valuable aid in the construction and annotation of the text. I owe Mr. Charles Crawford special thanks for placing at my disposal a series of parallel references in Chapman which have more than once availed to solve perplexing difficulties. I have made frequent use of Professor Koeppel's Quellen studien zu den Dramen Chapman's, and take this opportunity to acknowledge my indebtedness to my friend, the author. To my colleague, Dr. Kennedy, of Princeton University, I owe a deep debt for hours of long and painstaking labour spent with me in the determination of the text and the correction of proof sheets. Nor must I omit to thank Mr. T. J. Wise, of London, and Mr. Armour, of Princeton, for their kindness in allowing me the use of their copies of old editions of Chapman. And finally along with hundreds of workers in the field of English letters my sincerest thanks are due to the authorities of the British Museum and the Bodleian for the courteous assistance which alone renders work like this possible.

The list of Errata, somewhat longer than I should like, is due, in part at least, to the circumstances under which I have been forced to read the proof. I dare not hope that it is complete, and will be grateful to all who will point out other errors in text or comment for future correction.

OXFORD, September, 1910.

T. M. P.