Chapter I: Preface

IN editing the hitherto unpublished play of _Narcissus_, together with the three speeches and the letter composed for Francis Clarke, porter of S. John's, I have retained throughout the very irregular spelling of the MS. The punctuation and use of capital letters have, however, been modernized, the contractions employed for _the_, _which_, _with_, _what_, and certain prefixes, expanded, and a few obviously scribal errors corrected in the text, the notes supplying in every such case the original MS. reading.

In bringing to its conclusion a work which now seems even less satisfactorily performed than I once hoped it might be, there is at least a pleasure in recording thanks to all those who have interested themselves on my behalf, and aided me with suggestions and criticisms, or--as in the case of the editors of the _N. E. D._--with valuable references. Indeed, were it not for the direct and indirect help of friends--and amongst those who have given me the former I must make special and grateful mention of Professor Ker, Professor Napier, and Mr. Madan--_Narcissus_ would have been left to find a worthier editor.

26, WARRINGTON CRESCENT,
MAIDA HILL.