edition, in eight volumes octavo, printed in 1747 (of which the original price was two pounds eight shillings, and the number printed, one thousand), was sold off: viz. one hundred and seventy-eight copies, at eighteen shillings each. On the contrary, Sir Thomas Hanmer's edition, printed at Oxford in 1744, which was first sold for three guineas, had arisen to nine or ten, before it was reprinted. It appears, however, from the foregoing catalogue (when all reiterations of legitimate editions are taken into the account, together with five spurious ones printed in Ireland, one in Scotland, one at Birmingham, and four in London, making in the whole thirty-seven impressions) that not less than 37,500 copies of our author's works have been dispersed, exclusive of the quartos, single plays, and such as have been altered for the stage. Of the latter, as exact a list as I have been able to form, with the assistance of Mr. Reed, of Staple-Inn (than whom no man is more conversant with English publications both ancient and modern, or more willing to assist the literary undertakings of others), will be found in the course of the following pages. STEEVENS. A LIST OF THE MOST AUTHENTICK ANCIENT EDITIONS OF SHAKSPEARE'S POEMS. 1. Venus and Adonis, 4to. imprinted by Richard Field, 15934. 2. Venus and Adonis, 1596, small octavo, or rather decimo sexto, R. F. for John Harrison. Reprinted in 1600, 1602, 1617, 1620, 1630, &c. 3. Lucrece, quarto, 1594, Richard Field, for John Harri son. Reprinted in small octavo, in 1596, 1598, 1600, 1607, 1616, 1624, 1632, &c. 4. The Passionate Pilgrim [being a collection of Poems by Shakspeare], small octavo, 1599, for W. Jaggard; sold by William Leake. 5. The Passionate Pilgrime, or certain amorous Sonnets between Venus and Adonis, &c. The third edition, small octavo, 1612, W. Jaggard. I know not when the second edition was printed. 6. Shakspeare's Sonnets, never before imprinted, quarto, 1609, G. Eld, for T. T. 4 In a manuscript diary that lately passed through the hands of Francis Douce, Esq. there is the following entry on the 12th of June, 1593: "For the Survay of Fraunce with the Venus } xii d. An edition of Shakspeare's Sonnets, differing in many particulars from the original, and intermixed with the poems contained in The Passionate Pilgrim, and with several poems written by Thomas Heywood, was printed in 1640, in small octavo, by Thomas Cotes, sold by John Benson. MODERN EDITIONS. Shakspeare's Poems, small octavo, for Bernard Lintot, no date, but printed in 1710. The Sonnets in this edition were printed from the quarto of 1609; Venus and Adonis, and Lucrece, from very late editions, full of errors. The Poems of William Shakspeare, containing his Venus and Adonis, Rape of Lucrece, Sonnets, Passionate Pilgrim, and A Lover's Complaint, printed from the authentick copies, by Malone, in octavo, 1780. Ditto, Second Edition, with the author's plays, crown octavo, 1790. Spurious editions of Shakspeare's Poems have also been published by Gildon, Sewell, Evans, &c. MALONE. PLAYS ASCRIBED TO SHAKSPEARE, Either by the Editors of the two later Folios, or by the Compilers of ancient Catalogues. 1. Arraignment of Paris, 1584 5, Henry Marsh. 2. Birth of Merlin, 1662. Tho. Johnson, for Francis Kirkman and Henry Marsh. 5 It appears from an epistle prefixed to Greene's Arcadia, that The Arraignment of Paris was written by George Peele, the author of King David and fair Bethsabe, &c. 1599. 3. Edward III. 1596, for Cuthbert Burby. 2. 1599, Simon Stafford, for ditto. 4. Fair Em, 1631, for John Wright. 5. Locrine, 1595, Thomas Creede. 6. London Prodigal, 1605. 7. Merry Devil of Edmonton, 1608, Henry Ballard, for Arthur Johnson. 2. 1617, G. Eld, for ditto. 3. 1626, A. M. for Francis Falkner. 4. 1631, T. P. for ditto. 5. 1655, for W. Gilbertson. 8. Mucedorus, 1598, for William Jones. 2. 1610, for ditto. 3. 1615, N. O. for ditto. 4. 1639, for John Wright. 5. no date, for Francis Coles. 6. 1668, E. O. for ditto. 9. Pericles, 1609, for Henry Gosson. 2. 1619, for T. P. 3. 1630, J. N. for R. B. 4. 1635, Thomas Cotes. 10. Puritan, 1600 7, and 1607, G. Eld. 11. Sir John Oldcastle, 1600, for T. P. 12. Thomas Lord Cromwell, 1613, Tho. Snodham. 13. Two Noble Kinsmen, 1634, Tho. Cotes, for John Waterson. 14. Yorkshire Tragedy, 1608, R. B. for T. Pavier. Ditto, 1619, for T. P. STEEVENS. 5 See the preceding extracts from the books at Stationers' Hall. 6 Fair Em,] In Mr. Garrick's Collection is a volume, formerly belonging to King Charles II. which is lettered on the back, "SHAKESPEARE, Vol. I." This volume consists of Fair Em, The Merry Devil, &c. Mucedorus, &c. There is no other authority for ascribing Fair Em to our author. 7 The existence of this edition has been doubted. REED. A LIST OF PLAYS ALTERED FROM SHAKSPEARE. Invenies etiam disjecti membra poetæ. Tempest. The Tempest, or the Enchanted Island. A Comedy, acted in Dorset Garden. By Sir W. D'Avenant and Dryden, 4to. 1669. The Tempest, made into an Opera by Shadwell in 1673. See Downes's Roscius Anglicanus, p. 34. The Tempest, an Opera taken from Shakspeare. As it is performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. By Mr. Garrick. 8vo. 1756. An alteration by J. P. Kemble. Acted at Drury Lane. 8vo. 1790. Two Gentlemen of Verona. The Two Gentlemen of Verona. A Comedy written by Shakspeare, with Alterations and Additions, as it is performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. By Mr. Victor. 8vo. 1763. Midsummer-Night's Dream. The Humours of Bottom the Weaver, by Robert Cox. 4to. The Fairy Queen, an Opera, represented at the Queen's Theatre by their Majesties Servants. 4to. 1692. Pyramus and Thisbe, a comick Masque, written by Richard Leveridge, performed at Lincoln's Inn Fields. 8vo. 1716. Pyramus and Thisbe, a mock Opera, written by Shak |