Studies in English Drama
First Series (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Studies in English Drama: First Series

The six essays which constitute this volume have been selected because they are kindred in subject and lend themselves - possibly more readily than some others - to a plan which necessitates condensation and a certain deviation from the purpose for which the majority of them were originally designed. Miss McCaulley's excellent paper on The Functions of the Non-Organic Portions of English Drama, alone of the following theses, is printed as it was presented to the Department. Each of the others was originally designed to serve as the matter introductory to a critical edition of the drama discussed; and contained, as at first submitted, considerable material which had to be suppressed or altered in adaptation to the sketchier purpose of a discussion of the literary and historical questions involved. Nor is it to be forgotten that in each of these cases, it was the preparation of an old text for the press, the noting of variants, sometimes of several editions, the study and elucidation not only of textual difficulties, but those of language, allusion, parallel and the like, that formed by far the most arduous portion of the task. For this reason it is not indulgence that is asked for the products of this volume, but a recognition that, as these essays now stand, they represent only a partial fulfilment of an original task, one that was satisfactorily completed in each case, except as to publication. In a word, these theses set forth only those results that can be successfully displayed in the absence of the reprinting of a difficult and, in some cases, an all but inaccessible text.

Once more, it is to be remarked that these theses were originally prepared at periods varying from two years ago to as many as seven and nine.

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