If I were to select the one passage in Dr. Johnson's Preface to Shakespeare which occasioned the greatest immediate protest and which has continued to be held up to critical scorn, I should have to pitch upon this: "In tragedy he is always struggling after some occasion to be comick; but in comedy he seems to repose, or to luxuriate, as in a mode of thinking congenial to his nature. In his tragick scenes there is always something wanting, but his comedy often surpasses expectation or desire. His comedy pleases by the thoughts and the language, and his tragedy for the greater part by incident and action. His tragedy seems to be skill, his comedy to be instinct." As a theatre-goer, Johnson could also say in the Preface that "familiar comedy is often more powerful on the theatre, than in the page; imperial tragedy is always less." One might logically assume, then, that Johnson's greater enjoyment of Shakespeare's comedies would be easily remarked in his commentary--and even, possibly, that they would be singled out for more annotation and comment than the tragedies or the histories. The most heavily annotated plays are, however, the tragedies, and it is curious to observe that the sombre "problem comedy," _Measure for Measure_, commands more notes than any other comedy. Further, Johnson's moral and religious sensibilities were offended by profanity and obscenity in the drama, and Shakespeare's comedies, far more than his tragedies and histories, transgress in this direction. One recollects, finally, that the dramatic genre favored most by Johnson was the "she-tragedy." Was Johnson lauding Shakespeare's comedies because the tragedies had been excessively praised? I do not know. I an most grateful to the Research Board of the University of Illinois for a grant which greatly expedited my work. COMEDIES Vol. I THE TEMPEST I.i (4,2) [_Enter a Ship-master and a Boatswain_] In this naval dialogue, perhaps the first example of sailor's language exhibited on the stage, there are, as I have been told by a skilful narrator, some inaccuracies and contradictory orders. I.i.8 (4,4) [blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough] Perhaps it might be read,--_blow till thou burst, wind, if room enough_. I.i.30 (5,5) It may be observed of Gonzalo, that, being the only good man that appears with the king, he is the only man that preserves his cheerfulness in the wreck, and his hope on the island. I.i.52 (6,7) [set her two courses; off to sea again] The courses are the main-sail and fore-sail. This term is used by Raleigh, in his _Discourse on Shipping_. I.i.63 (6,9) [He'll be hang'd yet; Though every drop of water swear against it, And gape at wid'st to glut him.] Shakespeare probably wrote, _t'englut him, to swallow him_; for which I know not that _glut_ is ever used by him. In this signification _englut_, from _engloutir_, French, occurs frequently, as in _Henry VI_. "--Thou art so near the gulf Thou needs must be _englutted_."