Title page
THE WINTER'S TALE, A TRAGEDY, by SHAKESPEARE, AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN:
Regulated from the PROMPT-BOOK, With PERMISSION of the MANAGERS, By Mr. YOUNGER, Prompter.
An INTRODUCTION, and NOTES Critical and Illustrative, ARE ADDED, BY THE AUTHORS of the DRAMATIC CENSOR.
LONDON:
Printed for JOHN BELL, near Exeter-Exchange, in the Strand; and C. ETHERINGTON, at York.MDCCLXXIII.
-- 151 --
INTRODUCTION.
THE WINTER'S TALE,
That Shakespeare was particularly right in his choice of
a title for this piece, very imperfect criticism must
allow, for it has all the improbabilities and jumble of
incidents, some merry, and some sad, that constitute
Christmas stories; there are many beauties even in
wildness; it is a parterre of poetical flowers sadly
choked with weeds. Mr. Garrick has furnished a
very good alteration, which we had no right to offer a
Shakespeare's; the present copy has been studioust:
prun'd and regulated, by the ingenious Mr. Hull, of
Covent-Garden, who has certainly made it much
more bearable than the author left it; however we
think neither this nor Mr. Garrick's will ever do
great matters on the stage: they both require very good
actors, who find too small a scope for impressive, creditable
exertion; save what belongs to Florizel,
Perdita, and Autolicus.
