A CATALOGUE OF THE EARLY EDITIONS O F Shakespeare's Plays, AND OF THE COMMENTARIES AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS ILLUSTRATIVE OF HIS WORKS. BY JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, Esq., F. R. S., F. S. A., &c. &c. &c. LONDON: JOHN RUSSELL SMITH, 4, OLD COMPTON STREET, SOHO SQUARE. M DCCCXLI. PREFACE. THIS little publication has been undertaken chiefly with a view of supplying the critic and student with the means of ascertaining at once what sources are available on any particular points of inquiry in Shakesperian criticism, and affording the latter a manual of bibliographical information which is indispensable to the attainment of any correct knowledge in that department of literature. Something of the same kind was undertaken by Mr. Wilson, and published in 1827; but, besides being very concise in the list of the early editions of the plays, it offers us no correct accounts of the different impressions. Moreover, the scarcity of this last mentioned work, and the rapid progress which this class of literature has made since its publication, are sufficient reasons for the present undertaking. The list of Shakesperiana in Lowndes' Bibliographer's Manual, has been found of great use, as also the Prolegomena of Boswell's Malone, the Catalogue of Malone's library, and the second part of Bibliotheca Heberiana. All the copies of the early quartos in the library of the British Museum, have been carefully examined; but it is to be regretted that our national library should still want many of the most valuable. As an example of the great deficiency of the Museum library in Shakesperiana, it does not appear that a single copy of any edition of so common and popular a work as Dodd's "Beauties of Shakespeare," is to be found in the whole collection. It may be as well to state that Capell's collection of early English literature, so frequently referred to in the following pages, is preserved in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge. June 21st, 1841. J. O. H. Shakesperiana. SINGLE PLAYS. I. TEMPEST. 1. The Tempest, or the Inchanted Island, a Comedy alter'd by Davenant and Dryden, 4to. Lond. 1670, 1674, 1676, 1690. 2. 3. 4. 5. An Opera, by D. Garrick, 8vo. Lond. 1756. Altered by Sheridan, 8vo. Lond. 1777. By J. P. Kemble, 8vo. Lond. 1789, 1806. II. THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. 1. The Two Gentlemen of Verona: a comedy: with alterations and additions. By Benjamin Victor, 8vo. Lond. 1763. 2. Altered by J. P. Kemble, 8vo. Lond. 1808. III. MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. 1. A most pleasaunt and excellent conceited comedie of Syr John Falstaffe, and the merrie wives of Windsor. Entermixed with sundrie variable and pleasing humors of Syr Hugh, the Welch Knyght, Justice Shallow, and his wise cousin M. Slender. With the swaggering vaine of auncient Pistoll, and Corporal B |