Shakespeare and Precious Stones
to "The great Variety of Readers," and signed by Heminge and Condell. This reads that the book was printed at the charges of W. Jaggard, Ed. Blount, I. Southweeke, and W. Apsley, 1623. The following passage from the preface is well worth quoting, its spirit' is so delightfully modern:
The fate of all Bookes depends upon your capacities, and not of your heads alone, but of your purses. Well! It is now publique, & you wil stand for your priviledges, wee know: to read, and censure.27 Do so, but buy it first. That doth best commend a Booke the Stationer saies. Then, how odde soever your braines be, or your wisdomes, make your license the same and spare not . . . But whatever you do, Buy. Censure will not drive a Trade, nor make the Jacke go.
The chief credit for bringing together the materials for the First Folio, in 1623, is believed to be due to William Jaggard. Some ten years earlier he had acquired the printing-privileges of certain of the quartos. Edward Blount, whose name appears as publisher on the title page with that of Isaac Jaggard, was merely a stationer, so that the actual printing was solely under the charge of the latter, who seems, at this time, to have been entrusted with this department of the business. However, Blount's services may
"Judge.
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