INTRODUCTION

T HE literature in English on Shakespeare's use of language is small when compared with the many studies of his char-acters, of his stage technique, and of all the bibliographica1 problems which surround the text of his plays. Through incidental references Dryden, Samuel Johnson and others said notable things about his language, and the way it was employed in the plays, but they did not approach the question systematically, or as a separate theme. Here they realised was something impressive and unusual, and it is clear from a number of passages, some of which are quoted in this volume, that Johnson had thought closely on the whole problem.