's judgment is commensurate with his genius; but they
speak of the former generally as if it were always unfettered, and
neglect to add that it was continually influenced by the conditions under
which he wrote, and that it was often his task to discover a route to a
successful result through the tortuous angularities of a preconceived
foreground. There is every reason to believe that this was the case with
the tragedy of _Hamlet_ and, if so, it is certain that no genius but
that of Shakespeare could have moulded the inartistic materials of a
rude original into that harmonious composition, which, although it has
certainly been tampered with by the players, and is therefore not the
perfect issue of his free inspiration, is the noblest drama the world is
ever likely to possess.

It must be recollected that in 1602 Shakespeare was in the zenith of his
dramatic power. His tragedy of _Hamlet_ was produced on the stage either
in 1601 or 1602, as appears from the entry of it on the books of the
Stationers' Company on July 26, 1602: "James Robertes--Entered for his
copie under the handes of Mr. Pasfeild and Mr. Waterson, warden, a booke
called the _Revenge of Hamlett, Prince (of) Denmarke_, as yet was
_latelie acted_ by the Lo: Chamberleyne his servantes."

No copy of this date is known to exist, but a surreptitious and imperfect
transcript of portions of the tragedy appeared in the following year
under the title of "_The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of
Denmarke_. By William Shakespeare. As it hath been diuerse times acted
by his Highnesse seruants in the Cittie of London: as also in the two
Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford, and elsewhere. At London, printed
for N. L. and Iohn Trundell, 1603." In the next year, 1604, N. L., who
was Nicholas Ling, obtained by some means a playhouse copy of the
tragedy, not a copy in the state in which it left the hands of the
author, but representing in the main the genuine words of Shakespeare. It
was published under the following title: "_The Tragicall Historie of
Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke_. By William Shakespeare. Newly imprinted and
enlarged to almost as much againe as it was, according to the true and
perfect coppie. At London, Printed by I. R. for N. L., and are to be sold
at his shoppe under Saint Dunston's Church in Fleetstreet, 1604." This
impression was reissued in the following year, the title-page and a few
leaves at the end, sigs. N. and O., being fresh-printed, the sole