"His mind and hand went hand in hand," they wrote {John Emings and Henri Condell} in the introduction to the In-Folio, "and what he thought expressed him with such ease that in his cards there are almost no corrections or canceled verses. " At which Ben Jonson's famous reply came: "Maybe he had canceled a thousand!"
In the introduction to the First Folio of Shakespeare's works, John Emings and Henri Condell noted the unity of Shakespeare's thoughts and writing, highlighting the seamlessness of his poetic expressions. They remarked on the impressive quality of his drafts, suggesting that they had few corrections or canceled lines, which speaks to his extraordinary skill and confidence as a playwright.
This assertion sparked a wry retort from fellow playwright Ben Jonson, who humorously speculated that Shakespeare might have indeed discarded numerous lines during his creative process. This exchange underscores not only the high regard in which Shakespeare's work was held but also the nature of artistic creation as one that can involve significant editing and refinement.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
