SHAKSPEARE. 



The above volume was carefully reprinted, in clofe imi- 

 tation of the original, a few years back, by J. Wright, 

 for Vernor and Hood, London. A fecond edition of 

 Shakfpeare's plays was pubhrtied, in folio, in 1632, a third 

 in 1664; and a fourth in 1685. Thefe feveral impreffions 

 are ufually denominated " ancient editions," becaufe pub- 

 lifhed within the llrlt century after the death of the poet, 

 and before any comments or elucidations were employed 

 to expound the original text. Some of his dramas were 

 publifhed, in 4to., during his own life. 



Of thofe editions which are diiHngui(hed by the title 

 " modern," the earliell was publiflied by Nicholas Rowc, 

 in 1709, in 7 vols. 8vo. This was followed by an edition 

 in 9 vols i2mo. by the fame author, in I 7 14; and to both 

 were prefixed a biographical memoir of the illultrious bard. 

 In 1725, Pope, who Hrlt introduced critical and emendatory 

 notes, publifhed his edition in 6 vols. 410. with a preface, 

 which Johiifon charaftenzes as valuable alike for compoli- 

 tion and jullnefs of remark. A fecond edition by the fame 

 editor was publifhed in 10 vols. i2mo. with additional 

 HOtes and corrections, in 1728. The fuccedbr of Pope 

 was Theobald, who produced a very elaborate edition in 

 7 vols. 8vo. in 1733 > ''"'^ ^ fecond, with correflions and 

 additions, in 8 vols. l2mo. in 1740. Sir Thomas Hanmer 

 next turned his attention to the illuilration of Shakfpoare, and 

 in 1744 gave the world an edition of his plays in 6 vols. 410. 

 Warburton publiflied his edition in 8 vols. Svo. in 1747 ; 

 from which time no critic attempted the taflc till the year 

 1765, when Dr. Johnfon's firft edition made its appearance 

 in 8 vols. 8vo. It was preceded by an able and ingenious 

 preface, in which the charafter of Shakfpeare's writings are 

 commented on in a powerful ftyle of eloquence, but with a 

 feverity far removed from accuracy and iullice. Indeed 

 Johnfon did not fully undi'ritand t'ne varied merits of his 

 author. In 1766, Steevens publifhed the twenty " Old 

 Plays," in 4 vols. 8vo. This was followed, in 1768, by 

 an edition in 10 vols, crown 8vo. by Mr. Capell. Next 

 came out, in 1771, a fecond and improved edition in 

 6 vols. 4to. by fir Thomas Hanmer, which was fucceeded 

 by an edition in 10 vols. 8vo. in 1773, by Johnfon 

 and Steevens, conjointly. Of this laft, a fecond edition 

 was publifhed in 1778 ; a third, revifed and correfted by 

 Reed, in 1785. In the year following was produced the 

 firft volume of the dramatic works of Shakfpeare, with 

 notes by Jofeph Rann, A.M. which work was completed 

 in 6 vols. 8vo. in 1794. In 1784 was publiflied, in i vol. 

 royal 8vo. an edition by Stockdale, with a very copious 

 index of pailages, by the Rev. Mr. Ayfcough. liell's 

 edition appeared in 1788, in 20 vols. i8mo. ; and in 1790 

 Malone's was ufhered into the world in 10 vols, crown 8vo. 

 In 1793, a fourth edition, " revifed and augmented," in 

 15 vols. 8vo. was produced by Mr. Steevens. A fifth edi- 

 tion, in 21 vols. 8vo. was publiflied in 1803, from the 

 text and with the notes of .lohnfon, Steevens, and Reed ; 

 and another edition of 2 1 vols, with correftions, &c. ap- 

 peared in 1S13. 



Many other impreffioMs of our author's plays have been 

 publiflied by different bookfcllers, in different fi/.es, and of 

 various degrees of typographic merit. Molt of tliem, how- 

 ever, arc unauthentic.itrd reprints: but many have the popu- 

 lar attraftion of embellinimcnts. The moil fplc-ndid of this 

 tlafs was publKlied by Boydell, in 9 vols, folio, embelliflied 

 with 100 engravings, executed by and from artills of the 

 firfl eminence. The fame work was alfo printed in 410. 

 In 1805 was putilifhcd an edition of Shakfi)care'3 plays in 

 10 vols. 8vo., with a prefatory ellay by Alexander Chal- 

 mers, I'.S A. and a print to each play from a defign by 

 "Henry Fufeli, cfq. R.A, The laft edition of this kind 

 Vol. XXXII. 



has jult appeared in 7 vols. iSmo. with 230 engravings on 

 wood, from the tafteful prefs of Whittingliam. 



Steevens eftimated, at the time he publifhed his notes on 

 Shakfpeare, that " not lefs than 35,000 copies of our au- 

 thor's works" had been tl.t-a difpcrfed ; and it may now be 

 confidently faid, that nearly loo.cco of them have been 

 printed and fold. 



From wliat has been already ttatcd, it is evident that 

 the writings of Shakfpeare have progredively acquired con- 

 fiderable publicity ; and that they now rank as chief, or 

 in the firft lift, of Britifh claffica. Thi$ high celebrity is 

 to be attributed to various fecondary caufes, as well as to 

 their own intrinfic merits. To players, critics, biographers, 

 and artiits, a large portion of this popularity is to be af- 

 cribed ; for had tiie plays been rcprefented by Garrick, 

 Kemble, &c. as originally pubhfhed by Condell and He- 

 mynge, or reprinted verbatim from that text, the fpefta- 

 tors to the one, and readers of the other, would have been 

 comparatively limited. It is talent only that can proper'.y 

 reprefent and appreciate talent. The birth and prod'jrtions 

 of one man of brilliant genius, will llimulate the emulation 

 and call into aftion the full powers of a correlative mind. 

 Hence the Britifli theatrical liemifpherc- has been repeatedly 

 illumined by the corrufcations of Garrick, Henderfon, 

 Pritchard, Kemble, Siddoni, Cooke, Young, and Kean ; 

 and thefe performers have derived no fmall portion of their 

 juftly acquired fivne from the exquifite and powerful writ- 

 ings of the bard of Avon. Whilft the one may be'con- 

 fid.eved as the creator of thought and inventor of charafter, 

 the others have perfonified and given " local habitation" 

 and exiftence to the poetical vifion. The painter has alfo 

 been ufefully and honourably employed in delineating in- 

 cidents, and portraying characlers from the poet : while the 

 engraver has tranflated thefe defigns into a new language, 

 and given them extenfive circulation and permanent record. 



The confummate atiing of Garrick tended, in a great de- 

 gree, not only to revive the fame of Shakfpeare, but to 

 augment and extend it. The peculiar powers of Betterton, 

 and of his other dramatic predeccffors, have not been fuf- 

 ficiently defined to enable us to eftimate their real talents ; 

 but thole of the Enghfh Rofcius have been commented on 

 and dclcribed by fo many able critics, that we are certain 

 they were of the mnft accomplifhed kind. He was there- 

 fore amply qualified to perfonify, arid give life and effedl 

 to the charafters of Macbeth, Hamlet, Lear, Richard the 

 Third, Romeo, Sec. ; and by his exquifite reprefentation of 

 thefe hiftrionic perfoiiagcs, the public were additionally de- 

 lighted and aftoniflied with the amazing genius of the 

 author. Sjnce Garrick's time other aftors have judicioufly 

 chofen fome of Shakfpeare's charafters, as beft calculated 

 to (hew their own talents ; and as the moll certain touch- 

 ttone of paflion. A Kemble and a Siddons have en- 

 wreathed their brows with never-fading laurel by dih- 

 gently iludying and fuccefsfully perlonating many of 

 our poet's great charafters. As the former has acquired 

 a well-earned fame in portraying Macbeth, Lear, Co- 

 riolanus, Profpcro, Cardinal Wolley, Richard, Hamlet, 

 and Othello ; the latter has aftoniflied and gratified many 

 thoufand Ipeftators by her horrifying reprefentation of 

 lady Macbeth, her dignified playing of the queen in 

 Henry VIII., and the queen in Hamlet ; by her com- 

 manding [lowers in Portia ; and in her pathetic eloquence 

 of Defdemona. Cooke difplaycd the charafters of Richard 

 the Third, lago, and Shylock, with great (kill and excel- 

 lencc : and in the prtfent day, Kean lias perfunated thefe 

 charafters, with that of Richard II. and H;imlet, fo at 

 to command the approbation of the moll acute and intelli- 

 gent critics, 



3C The 



