PRELIMINARY REMARKS. I HAVE not hitherto discovered any novel on which this comedy appears to have been founded; and yet the story of it has most of the features of an ancient romance. STEEVENS. I suspect that there is an error in the title of this play, which I believe, should be-" Love's Labours Lost." M. MASON. Love's Labour's Lost, I conjecture to have been written in 1594. See An Attempt to ascertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays. MALONE. The first edition was published in 4to. in 1598, W. W. for Cuthbert Burby. BOSWELL. PERSONS REPRESENTED'. FERDINAND, King of Navarre. BIRON 2. LONGAVILLE, Lords, attending on the King. DUMAIN, BOYET, MERCADE, Lords, attending on the Princess Sof France. DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard. SIR NATHANIEL, a curate. HOLOFERNES, a schoolmaster. COSTARD, a clown. MOTH, page to Armado. Officers and others, attendants on the King and Princess. SCENE, Navarre. This enumeration of the persons was made by Mr. Rowe. JOHNSON. 2 Berowne in the old editions throughout. Boswell. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. ACT I. SCENE I. Navarre. A Park, with a Palace in it. Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors!-for so you are, And the huge army of the world's desires,- You three, Birón, Dumain, and Longaville, me, My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes, Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your names; That his own hand may strike his honour down, |