THE RIGHT HON. THE VICE-CHANCELLOR SIR JAMES

KNIGHT BRUCE, F.R.S., F.S.A.

JOHN BRUCE, ESQ., TREAS. S.A.

J. PAYNE COLLIER, ESQ., V.P. S.A., DIRECTOR.

BOLTON CORNEY, ESQ., M.R.S.L.

PETER CUNNINGHAM, ESQ., TREASURER.

SIR HENRY ELLIS, K.H., PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN OF

THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

JOHN FORSTER, ESQ.

J. O. HALLIWELL, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A.

THE REV. WILLIAM HARNESS.

SWYNFEN JERVIS, ESQ.

CHARLES KNIGHT, ESQ..

SIR E. BULWER LYTTON, Bart.
WILLIAM C. MACREADY, ESQ.

T. J. PETTIGREW, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A.

MR. JUSTICE TALFOURD, D.C.L.
WILLIAM JOHN THOMS, ESQ., F.S.A.

THOMAS THOMSON, ESQ., M.D.

F. GUEST TOMLINS, ESQ., SECRETARY.

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The Council of the Shakespeare Society desire it to be understood that they are not answerable for any opinions or observations that may appear in the Society's publications; the Editors of the several works being alone responsible for the same.

PREFAC E.

The present volume has been longer in preparation than was originally calculated upon. The delay in some degree arose out of the other avocations of the editors of the three different portions of the work, which interfered with their combined exertions; but it was more especially caused by the number and nature of the illustrations.

The most bountiful contributor of these is the Duke of Devonshire, who has always laid open the stores of his library for the use of the Shakespeare Society, and for the advancement of its objects. His Grace possesses a large collection of the designs of Inigo Jones, not merely for public and private edifices, made in the pursuit of his profession as an architect, but of his sketches from pictures, and of what we may call graphic hints for the execution of more elaborate performances. His extraordinary felicity with his pen and pencil is witnessed by no less a contemporary than Vandyck, in a passage quoted by Mr. Cunningham on p. 40; and in consequence of the rapidity, variety, and certainty of his hand, he

was often employed, particularly on sudden emergencies, in the execution of designs for the general appearance, and peculiar habiliments of characters in Masques and other dramatic performances at Court. His public appointment was, in some sort, connected with these representations; and we know from many authorities, particularly from several remarkable passages in Ben Jonson's "Masque of Queens," comprised in the present volume, that for the contrivance of the machinery and for the painting of the scenes themselves, the poets of that day were very commonly indebted to Inigo Jones. Besides, therefore, the sketches for the persons and dresses of the characters, the Duke of Devonshire is the owner of several boxes of designs for scenery, &c. The large paintings, fixed or moveable, were made by inferior artists from these smaller designs of temples, palaces, mansions, cottages, rocks, wood, and water; and not a few of them are actually splashed with the distemper used for the purpose. These his Grace, with his wonted liberality, placed at the disposal of our Society; but it is obvious that we could only avail ourselves of a small part of the treasures, on account of their size; and the specimens which we here present are taken from two folio volumes, chiefly, if not exclusively containing sketches in connexion with the apparel and costume of personages who figured in the royal entertainments of James I. and Charles I. It will be seen that they are mere rough outlines, instantly handed over to others, that they might make more finished and detailed representations in the

appropriate colours. Of these last the Duke of Devonshire has many examples; but our object, with only one or two exceptions, has been to exhibit the sketches precisely in the state in which they came from the hand of Inigo Jones. Our facsimiles have been made by Mr. Netherclift, with such fidelity, that the copies might almost be substituted for the originals, without detection.

Another important contributor to the illustrations of our volume has been Major Inigo Jones, justly proud of his descent from his great namesake. Finding that the Shakespeare Society was preparing a volume, devoted mainly to the life and works of his ancestor, and having an original portrait of Inigo Jones, by Vandyck, in his possession, he not merely permitted the Council to prefix it as a frontispiece to our volume, but, with most praiseworthy generosity, paid for the engraving of it upon steel, in a style of art that does credit to the master and to the donor.

It remains to speak as briefly as we can of the literary portion of our volume.

For the Life of Inigo Jones, the members are indebted to Mr. Cunningham, their able, learned, and indefatigable Treasurer. Hitherto, our language has possessed nothing deserving the name of a biography of this illustrious architect, who extended his studies and his zeal to all branches of art, either immediately or remotely connected with the profession he embraced. Mr. Cunningham has produced many new facts, and has inserted or quoted many new documents: it is really astonishing how some of them can