ΟΝ

THE PLOT, THE FABLE, AND CONSTRUCTION

OF

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.

THIS play is more correctly written than most of Shakspeare's compositions, but it is not one of those in which either the extent of his views or elevation of his fancy is fully displayed. As the story abounded with materials, he has exerted little invention; but he has diversified his characters with great variety, and preserved them with great exactness. His vicious characters disgust, but cannot corrupt, for both Cressida and Pandarus are detested and contemned. The comick characters seem to have been the favourites of the writer; they are of the superficial kind, and exhibit more of manners than nature; but they are copiously filled and powerfully impressed. Shakspeare has in his story followed, for the greater part, the old book of Caxton, which was then very popular; but the character of Thersites, of which it makes no mention, is a proof that this play was written after Chapman had published his version of Homer. Mr. Pope (after Dryden) informs us, that the story

JOHNSON.

of Troilus and Cressida was originally the wor Lollius, a Lombard. Dryden goes yet fur declares it to have been written in Latin ve that Chaucer translated it. Lollius was a grapher of Urbino in Italy. Shakspeare rec greatest part of his materials for the structur play from the Troye Boke of Lydgate. Lyd not much more than a translator of Guido of na, who was of Messina in Sicily, and wrote tory of Troy in Latin, after Dictys Cretens Guido's work was published at Cologne : again in 1480, at Strasburgh 1486, and ibidem. This work appears to have been translated by le Feure, at Cologne, into French, from whom rendered it into English in 1471, under the * his Recuyel, &c. so that there must have be some earlier edition of Guido's performance · have hitherto seen or heard of, unless his first lator had recourse to a manuscript.

Guido of Columpna is referred to as an authe our own chronicler Grafton. Chaucer had ma loves of Troilus and Cressida famous, which ve bably might have been Shakspeare's inducemen: their fortune on the stage.Lydgate's Tro was printed by Pynson, 1513,

STEEV

Before this play of Troilus and Cressida, pri 1609, is a bookseller's preface, shewing that firpression to have been before the play had been and that it was published without Shakspeare's ledge, from a copy that had fallen into the bookst

of Troilus and Cressida was originally the work of one Lollius, a Lombard. Dryden goes yet further; he declares it to have been written in Latin verse, and that Chaucer translated it. Lollius was a historiographer of Urbino in Italy. Shakspeare received the greatest part of his materials for the structure of this play from the Troye Boke of Lydgate. Lydgate was not much more than a translator of Guido of Columpna, who was of Messina in Sicily, and wrote his History of Troy in Latin, after Dictys Cretensis, 1287. Guido's work was published at Cologne in 1477, again in 1480, at Strasburgh 1486, and ibidem, 1489. This work appears to have been translated by Raoul le Feure, at Cologne, into French, from whom Caxton rendered it into English in 1471, under the title of his Recuyel, &c. so that there must have been yet some earlier edition of Guido's performance than I have hitherto seen or heard of, unless his first translator had recourse to a manuscript.

Guido of Columpna is referred to as an authority by our own chronicler Grafton. Chaucer had made the loves of Troilus and Cressida famous, which very probably might have been Shakspeare's inducement to try their fortune on the stage.Lydgate's Troye Boke was printed by Pynson, 1513.

STEEVENS.

Before this play of Troilus and Cressida, printed in 1609, is a bookseller's preface, shewing that first impression to have been before the play had been acted, and that it was published without Shakspeare's knowledge, from a copy that had fallen into the bookseller's

hands. Mr. Dryden thinks this one of the first of our author's plays: but, on the contrary, it may be judged from the fore-mentioned preface that it was one of his last; and the great number of observations, both moral and politick, with which this piece is crowded more than any other of his, seems to confirm my opinion.

POPE.

We may learn from this preface, that the original proprietors of Shakspeare's plays thought it their interest to keep them unprinted. The author of it adds, at the conclusion, these words: "Thank for

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tune for the 'scape it hath made among you, since, "by the grand possessors wills, I believe you should "rather have prayed for them, than have been pray"ed," &c. By the grand possessors, I suppose, were meant, Heming and Condell.

STEEVENS.