VENUS AND ADONIS. SHAKESPEARE'S Venus and Adonis, under that title, was first printed by the poet's friend and townsman, Richard Field, in 1593, sm. 4to. (the exact size of the present impression), three years before any of Shakespeare's Plays came from the press it was reprinted in 1594, 1595, 1596, 1599, and 1600-the last, as well as subsequent impressions in 1602, 1617, 1620, etc., in sm. 8vo. The title-page always bore the following motto :— Vilia miretur vulgus: mihi flavus Apollo Pocula Castalia plena ministret aqua. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY, EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, AND BARON OF TICHFIeld. RIGHT HONOURABLE, I KNOW not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burden: only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a god-father, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation. Your honour's in all duty, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. VENUS AND ADONIS. EVEN as the sun with purple-colour'd face Nature that made thee, with herself at strife, Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed, Here come and sit, where never serpent hisses, And yet not cloy thy lips with loath'd satiety, |