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terations or Additions which Shakespear himself made, are taken notice of as they occur. Some suspected passages which are exceffively bad, (and which seem Interpolations by being so inserted that one can intirely omit them without any chasm, or deficience in the context) are degraded to the bottom of the page; with an Asterisk referring to the places of their insertion. The Scenes are mark'd so distinctly that every removal of place is specify'd; which is more necessary in this Author than any other, since he shifts them more frequently: and sometimes without attending to this particular, the reader would have met with obscurities. The more obsolete or unusual words are explained) Some of the most shining passages are diftinguish'd by comma's in the margin ;) and where the beauty lay not in particulars but in the whole, a star is prefix'd to the scene. This seems to me a shorter and less oftentatious method of performing the better half of Criticism (namely the pointing out an Author's excellencies) than to fill a whole paper with citations of fine passages, with general Applauses, or empty Exclamations at the tail of them. There is also subjoin'd a Catalogue of those first Editions by which the greater part of the various readings and of the corrected passages are authorised, (most of which are such as carry their own

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evidence along with them.) These Editions now hold the place of Originals, and are the only materials left to repair the deficiences or restore the corrupted sense of the Author: I can only wish that a greater number of them (if a greater were ever published) may yet be found, by a fearch more successful than mine, for the better accomplishment of this end.

I will conclude by saying of Shakespear, that with all his faults, and with all the irregularity of his Drama, one may look upon his works, in comparison of those that are more finish'd and regular, as upon an ancient majestick piece of Gothick Architecture, compar'd with a neat Modern building: The latter is more elegant and glaring, but the former is more strong and more folemn. It must be allow'd, that in one of these there are materials enough to make many of the other. It has much the greater variety, and much the nobler apartments; tho' we are often conducted to them by dark, odd, and uncouth passages. Nor does the Whole fail to strike us with greater reverence, tho' many of the Parts are childish, ill-plac'd, and unequal to its grandeur.

A. POPE.

A TABLE of the several Editions of Shakespear's Plays, made use of and compared in this Impression.

R. William Shakespear's Comedies, Histories and

MTragedies, blind according to the original

Copies. the first Edition in Folio, 1623.
The second Impression in Folio, of 1632.

I. A Midsummer Night's Dream, as it hath been fundry times publickly acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlains Servants. Printed by James Roberts, Quarto, 1600 (the 36th Year of the Author's Age.)

II. A most pleasant and excellent conceited Comedy of Sir John Falstaffe, and the Merry Wives of Windsor, with the swaggering Vain of Ancient Pistol and Corporal Nym. printed for Arthur Johnson, 1619, Quarto.

III. The excellent History of the Merchant of Venice, with the extream Cruelty of Shylock the Jew toward the faid Merchant, in cutting a just Pound of his Flesh, and the obtaining of Portia by the choice of three Caskets. Printed by J. Roberts, 1600, Quarto.

Another Edition of the fame, printed by J. R. for Tho. Heyes, in the fame Year (the 36th of his Age.)

IV. Á pleasant conceited Comedy called Loves Labor loft, as it was presented before her Highness this last Chrifimas, newly corrected and augmented by William Seakespear. Imprinted at London by W. W. for Cutbert Burley, 1598.

V. A pleasant conceited History call'd The Taming of a Shrew, as it hath been fundry times acted by the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembroke his Servants, Printed at London by V. S. for Nich. Ling, 1607. There is scarce a line of this the fame with the present Play, yet the Plot and Scenary scarce differ at all from it. I should think it not written by Shakespear; but there are fome Speeches (in one or two Scenes only) the fame: And we have there the conclusion of the Play, which

is

is manifestly wanting in all the fubfequent Editions, as well as the latter part of the last Act, manifestly better, and clear of that impertinent Prolixity which is in the common Editions.

VI. Mr. William Shakespear his true Cronicle History of the Life and Death of King Lear and his three Daughters, with the unfortunate Life of Edgar Son and Heir to the Earl of Gloucester, and his fullen and affumed humour of Tom a Bedlam. As it was play'd before the King's Majesty at Whitehall upon St. Stephen's Night in Christmas Holydays. By His Majesty's Servants playing usually at the Globe on the Bankside. Printed for Nath. Butter, 1608.

VII The Tragedy of King Richard the Second, as it hath been publickly acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlain his fervants. By William Shakespear. Printed by Valentine Simms for Andrew Wife, 1598. (the 34th Year of Shakespear's Age.)

The fame, with new Additions, of the Parliament Scene, and the depofing of King Richard. As it hath been lately acted by the King's Majesty's Servants at the Globe. By W. Shakespear. Printed by W. W. for Matthew Law, 1608, and again 1615.

VIII. The History of Henry the 4th, with the Battle at Shrewsbury, between the King and Lord Henry Pier-cy, Sirnamed Henry Hotspur of the North. With the humourous Conceits of Sir John Falstaffe, newly corrected by William Shakespear. Printed by P. S. for Andrew Wife, 1599, Quarto. his 35th Year.

The fame Printed in 1604..

The fame Printed for Matthew Law, &c, in 1608, Quarto.

IX. The Second Part of Henry the 4th, containing to his Death and Coronation of Henry thesth. With the Humours of Sir John Falstaffe and swaggering Pistol. As it hath been fundry times publickly acted by the Right Honourable the. Lord Chamberlain his Servants. Written by William Shakespear. Printed by V. S. for Andrew Wife and William Aspley, 1600, Quarto, (the 36th Year of his Age.)

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X. The Cronicle History of Henry the 5th, with his Batle fought at Agincourt in France. Together with Ancient Pistol. As it hath been fundry times played by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlain's Servants. Printed Printed by Tho. Crede for Tho. Millington, 1600.

Another Printed for T. P. 1608, Quarto. These Editions are short in many Scenes and Speeches, and want the Chorus's; which (with many other noble Improvements) were fince added by the Author, not above 8 Years before his Death. This was one of the laft Plays he finished, a confiderable time after Henry the 6th had been written and acted. See the Epilogue of Henry sth.

XI. Henry the 6th, first Printed under this Title. The whole Contention between the two famous Houses, Lancafter and York: With the Tragical Ends of the good Duke Humphrey, Richard Duke of York, and King Henry the Sixth: divided into two parts, and newly corrected and inlarged. Written by W. Shakespear, Gent, Printed at London for T. P. (without a date) Quarto.

This was the first Sketch only of the present second and third Parts of Henry the Sixth; which were fince greatly inlarged, and the Poetry improved; the Scenary was much the fame as at present.

Since Printed under the fame Title by W. W. for The. 'Millington, with the true Tragedy of Richard D. of York, and the Death of good King Henry the 6th, acted by the Earl of Pembroke his Servants, 1600.

XII. The Tragedy of King Richard the 3d, containing his treacherous Plots against his Brother Clarence, the pitiful Murther of his Innocent Nephews, his tyrannical Ufurpations; with the whole course of his detested Life, and most deserved Death. As hath been lately acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlain his Servants. By W. Shakespear. Printed by Tho. Creed for Andrew Wife, 1598, Quarto (the 34th Year of the Author's Age.)

The same newly augmented, Printed for the fame Printers in 1602.

The fame in 1612.

XIII. The most lamentable Tragedy of Titus Androniens. As it hath been sundry times played by the King's

Majesty's

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