The FOur FO IIO S of

Shakespeare 8 Plays

ACCOUNT OF THE FOUR COLLECTED EDIT IO NS TOGETHER WITH A CENSUS QF’ THE KNO WN PERFECT CO PI ES OF THE MET

FOLI O

A DE$€fRI PTI GN O F AN EXCEPTI ONALLY

D ESI RABLE SE T NO W O FFER ED FO R SALE

B¥

New Yor k

’ !Shakesp ear e s

F our F olios

E take pr ide in Offe ring for sal e an excepti onally fine set O f the F our ’ F olio E ditio ns of S akes a e s Pla s h pe r y . The First F olio (the most valuable of all printe d books) is one of the finest kn own copies ! the Se cond F olio has the very rare Aspl ey impr int ! and the T hird F olio is a fine co i h e a i rm e- a a py w th t e rl est fo of titl p ge d ted 1 66 3 .

The F irst F o lio

Mr am S ak s ear s C ome es . Willi h e p e di ,

H s or es Sc ra e es. Pu s i t i , T g di bli h ed a ! C es according to the Tr ue O r igin l opi .

n P b I saac a ard L o o . r nd inted y J gg ,

B o 1 6 2 and d t. . E . l un 3

’ N X I I I ' Lord Dormer s superb copy ( O . of Sidney Lee s ’ s c s Cen us) , the copy whi h brought at Sotheby in 1 0 1 o f 9 , then the record price, and one the finest copies - U 1 9. 1 6 x 8 extant. nusually large, measuring 9 % inches, it is of Per ect , first all f , every leaf is genuine and not a word - or letter is in facsimile . The title page, especially, is in s s m of mo t unusual condition , with a uperb i pression the two w s portrait . The lo er corner of the leaf of Verses have ’ l s Séa éespea r e r F ou r Fo io bee n restored and a corresponding piece has been supplied f f for the outer lower corner o the last lea , but these are the only imperfections worthy of mention . The slight mend f ing of the lower corner of the our or five leaves at end,

f . preceding the last lea , is scarcely noticeable The volume - f is bound in red morocco super extra by Bed ord, rough

. gilt edges , and is enclosed in a morocco case

The Seco n d F o li o

r am S ak es eares C om e es M . Willi h p di , e e P u b s e accor H s or es and ra s . i t i , T g di li h d ding seco to the true O riginall C o pi es . T h e nd

L o o P e d b Tho . C o es I m r ss o . p e i n nd n , rint y t ,

for l am As 1 6 2 . Wi li pley , 3

A With the very rare Aspley imprint . good, sound and f per ect copy , in yellow morocco , gilt edges , in morocco case . Some blank margins have been mended .

The Third F o lio

am S ak s eares C o m e es H stor es Mr . Willi h e p di , i i , ra e d es P b she accord n to the and T g i . u li d i g a C h r I m r ss o r O r o s T e . t ue igin l pie . T hi d p e i n P f r P he t ind e 1 66 Lo o e o C w . nd n , rint d hilip , 3

A f ’ very fine copy , ormerly Gregory Lewis Way s with the of - t 1 66 earliest issue the title page, da ed 3 (with blank space f for v le t the portrait) , and also ha ing the second title with

for . imprint London , Printed P . C with portrait f and verses on separate lea , and containing the seven added

. f plays at end Per ect , sound, and genuine throughout, f and bound in cal enclosed in a red morocco case . 4 ’ S/za éespea r e s Four Folios

The F o u r th F o lio

’ Mr am a e a . Sh kes r s C ome s H s or es Willi p die , i t i ,

a ra u b c nd T ge di es. P lish ed ac o rding to

the e O r a C o es The F o r E o tru igin l pi u th diti n .

Lo o P e for H H errin m an nd n , rint d . g ,

E Brew ster and R Be e 1 6 8 . , . ntl y , 5 .

A c calf oints re good and generally sound opy in old , j f f paired . The lower inside corners o a number o leaves have been discoloured by oil .

Price of the four volumes as described T hirty -tw o th o usand dollars

D O D D ME AD 8c , CO MPANY

1 0 . November, 9 7

— NO TE I t 18 a remarkable fact and worthy of mention here that of the fifteen perfect copies of the First Folio now

belonging to private owners in America, no less than six (including the present copy) have been sold (or

ff b 8: . o ered for sale) y Dodd, Mead Co

5 The First F o lio

I ts H isto ry and Bibiography

T is probable that to William J aggard is primarily due f s the credit o gathering together and printing, even I ’ of years after Shakespeare s death , this collection his R oberts in 1 6 1 a ard Plays . From James 3 , J gg had acquired O f by purchase the right to print several the quartos, as well as the perhaps more valuable sole right of printing the ’ ’ a ard s players bills or programmes . Even though J gg establishment was an important one, he seems to have pre ferred to have the risk o f the publication shared by others “ and the colophon of the volume reads Printed at the mith eeke a ard . . S w Charges of W . J gg , Ed Blount, I , and s W . Aspley, Probably with the a sistance of the s H emin e l Manager , John g and Henry Conde l, they pro f s — s c cured rom variou sources printed quarto , prompt opies made for the actors and surreptitious or private manuscript — ’ copies the text of all o f Shakespeare s Plays (save only m Pericles) . The type used was probably of Dutch anu facture and the larger part o f the printing was probably ’ ’ a ar s ffi D u ns an C done at J gg d printing o ce near St . t s hurch though it is almost certain that other printers were called evid upon to do portions of the work . There is positive f- in ence , in the careless proo reading and curious errors the

' -u reat haste make p, that g was used in its production . Even after printing was under way new portions of manuscript c s of were pro ured, necessitating the printing and in ertion “ extra leaves . This is the case particularly with Troilus and Cressida which seems to have been inserted bodily 6 ’ Sfia éerpea r e r Fou r Folios

w almost at the last moment . Corrections ere made in some sheets while they were passing through the press .

8 1 6 2 On Nov . , 3 , the volume was probably nearly ready for publication as on that day application was made ’ to the Stationers Company for license to print the sixteen plays which had not been previously entered to Others in the

Register . This application was made by Isaac J aggard (son O f a William) and Edward Blount, and their names only p - o f pear upon the title page the book . As a specimen O f typ ography the volume is no credit of to its printers . Errors pagination and signature marks are numerous and inexcusable . The headlines of the last “ two pages of Two Gentlemen O f Verona are wrongly “ ” of f The Merry Wives Windsor , which is the ollowing

o f play . Even the initial letter the first word o f text in the in - volume ( B Bote Swaine) was printed upside down, though the mistake was corrected in the larger part of the of edition . The textual misprints in the words Mr . Lee “ ” o f illustrate every phase typographical carelessness . The ’ occasional substitution of actual actors names fo r those o f the characters is evidence of bad editing and shows that

- play house transcripts were the manuscripts followed . “ The statement in the Preface that we have scarce re ” ceiv e f m of the d ro him a blot in his papers , is same class “ with that on the title- page Printed according to the True ” r i ll I f O ig na Copies . by these statements it was meant that Shakespeare ’ s own manuscripts were used as copy” f o f they are certainly alse . They are probably a class with and as harmless as much o f the extravagant advertising of today . The volume contains 4 54 leaves including the nine it preliminary leaves, which were printed last . The book 7 ’ Sfméespea r e s Fou r F olios self was made up of quires or signatures of six leaves each but two only of the preliminary leaves bear signature marks and their arrangement is uncertain . The dedication to

of of William , Earl Pembroke, and Philip , Earl Mont f of gomery , and the Pre ace To the great Variety H emin e and e Readers , both signed by John g H nry

2 . Condell , are marked A and A 3 respectively The “ ” u nd ou btl t title was y A , and the Ca alogue we may “ 6 2 f presume to be A . The dedication A had as ollower H the leaf containing verses by Hugh olland, making it almost certain that this leaf was A 5 . In the same way the “f ” Preface had as ollower the long poem by Ben Jonson, The f which was thus probably A 4 . lea preceding the “ ” - fl - f title page, called by Sydney Lee , the y lea but more

f o f generally known as the lea Verses , was probably printed separately and pasted on . The lines by Digges and the ’ leaf of Actors names was probably printed later and laid in

f in f . the center o Sig . A . or bound ollowing it — f The portrait on the title page , printed rom a copper plate engraved by Martin Droeshout is to modern eyes scarcely deserving of the praise bestowed upon it by Ben

- Jonson . The engraver was only about twenty two years o f age when it was done and it may be called the work or an apprentice . The copper wore away rapidly and during its o f was O f sixty years use , it several times retouched . the earliest state two impressions only are known , one being t h in the Malone collec ion in the Bodleian library, the ot er belonging to Mr . Perry . This earliest state is distinguished by the absence of a well defined shadow cast by the hair upon t the collar . The second sta e may be distinguished by the ab sence o f the little white line extending towards the right fro m O f - the center each eye ball , which was added in the third state . 8 ’ S/za éespea r e s F ou r Folios

Probably six hundred copies O f the First Folio were — — printed a large edition for those days and the pub ’ lishers price was probably one pound . As this edition

f of was sold out, and the demand continued, the olios 1 6 2 1 66 1 6 8 3 , 3 and 5 were published .

By an agreement with Sir Thomas Bodley, made about ’ 1 6 1 0 f , the London Stationers Company bound itsel to present to the Bodleian library one copy o f each book an of m printed by y its me bers . I n accordance with this o f agreement a copy the First Folio Shakespeare, in sheets , unbound , was delivered to the library , probably late

1 6 2 . 1 1 6 2 in 3 On February 7 , 4 , these sheets were sent t f Wild o o se with o her books to the Ox ord binder, William g , I t by whom it was duly returned . was placed on a lower

f f o f shel , chained, but ree to be consulted by any user the o f the library . When , in due course, a copy Third Folio came to the library from the Stationers ’ Company the thrifty librarian recognizing the value O f the new and en larged edition put his copy O f the O ld edition among “ t his duplicates to be sold, and it wen with other super fluo ns Library Books sold by order of the Curators some the time during the year, to bookseller, Richard Davis . The identical volume was next recognized when it was ’

Bodleian s 1 0 . . shown librarian in January, 9 5 , by Mr G

. Tu rbu tt M . R , who wished advice as to what ought to be l the done with his O d book . It was later acquired by for 0 library 3 0 0.

i of One pound, the published pr ce the book , remained of the market price for a long time . I n a sale catalogue “ 1 8 o fTered 74 a copy was and described as a fine copy , very ” o f scarce, but no priced copy the Catalogue seems to have 1 6 of survived . I n 7 5 (the earliest priced record a sale) a 9 ’ Sfia éespea r e s F ou r Folios

1 0 B copy brought three guineas . About 77 eloe said that the standard value of a fine copy was five guineas and that ” he refused “at nine guineas a superb copy which realized ’ 1 2 . thirteen at Dr . Monro s sale in 79 At the John Watson 1 for Reed sale the Duke of Roxburghe paid £3 5 4s . a 1 8 1 2 copy . This was a great advance but in when the ’ 1 0 Duke s books were sold the identical copy brought 0.

Mi ele 1 8 1 8 G At the dg y sale in , Thomas renville paid

fo r £ 1 2 1 1 6s . a copy and that poor prophet, the biblio “ D ibdin i grapher , wrote that this was the h ghest price ever given or likely to be given for the volume . Meanwhile 1 8 0 many copies changed hands at much lower prices . I n 5 ,

1 2 1 8 1 1 1 1 os . 1 8 1 6 1 6 . w £ 4 , in 5 , £ 4 and in 54 , £ 3 s ere paid, raising the record successively .

1 8 off At the 54 sale James Lenox carried the prize, being the first instance of serious American competition for the book in the London auction room . The next great advance was at the Daniel sale , when a woman , Miss (afterwards Baroness) Burdett- Coutts paid the then unheard ’ of of 1 6 23 for sum £7 . George Daniel s fine copy, perhaps t in all respec s still the most desirable existing copy . An

American collector, Almon W . Griswold , was the under

. 1 86 . . bidder I n 7 another prophet, James S B Bohn , put “ himself on record with the statement : The difiicu lty of f procuring a per ect copy . . is now so great, and the com n petition whenever one occurs so stro g, that probably what O u r ancestors deemed clear at £ 1 00 will be regarded as cheap at by our successors . The price of 682 guineas paid by Miss Burdett- Coutts for the Daniel copy remained the record price at auction 1 8 1 81 until 9 , when Dodd, Mead Company paid at ’ Brayton I ves sale for a copy which had belonged success

I O ’ S/za éespeo r e s Fou r F olios ivel y to Sir William Tite , Eugene N . Robinson and Joseph

. . o f J Cooke This copy, though small , is one the soundest f ne w and most per ect copies known . No record was made 1 8 until July, 99 when the fine Belleroche copy (now Mr . ’ ’ Mac eor e of Perry s) was bought at Christie s by Mr . G g Glasgow for Nevertheless the next good copy to come upon the ’ market, Lord Dormer s copy, sold by his daughter, brought 1 1 in 90 . This is the copy now offered for sale by

8: 1 0 the Dodd, Mead Company . I n 9 5 same firm sold R owfant for the fine copy privately and , shortly f “ f ” f a ter, Mr . Perry again li ted the price by buying rom MacGeor e f f for ff Mr . g his our olios I n an e ort to divide this sum and afiix a separate estimate on the First “ Folio , Mr . Sidney Lee decided upon some gigantic sum 1 0 R o wfant not less than I n March, 9 7, the copy ’ again came upon the market, being sold at Sotheby s by

w . Mr . Van Ant erp with his other books It brought

of . and is now owned by Mr . Widener Philadelphia As two booksellers were concerned as agents in making the pur it chase, we may presume that has cost him not less than

The general impression that the First Folio is an ex f cessive/ r a r e . O y book is wrong Indeed, it is one the com of o f monest books its period, no less than one hundred

- indiEere nt and seventy two copies , good, bad and (mostly, of t it is true, the two latter classes) having been loca ed by we of er Mr . Lee . I n the succeeding pages give a list all p “ f ” h fect copies which can be traced . Per ect is ere used as it was used by Lee in his Census and implies only that no m t of f leaves are lacking . Many, indeed os , these per ect of f o f copies have snfiered from the ravages time, the lea

1 1 ’ Sfio éespeo r e s F ou r Folios

f f verses preceding title, the title itsel and the last lea being f most likely to be i njured . Absolutely per ect copies are f if . O almost, not quite, unknown Perhaps a score copies in all are in existence which have the printed text complete (without any facsimiles) and o f these some small portions o f blank margins are usually lacking or have been supplied by

the modern renovator . To a collector considering the purchase of a First Fo

of the lio , the instructions Thomas Pennant Barton veteran h Shakespearean collector to T omas Rodd, his London of l 1 8 agent are , except in limit price , still app icable . I n 4 5 ’ t f Bar on wrote to Rodd, re erring to Bright s copy, about to be sold I f f the copy be per ect and does not sell exorbitantly, ff you must make a violent e ort to secure it . I t is a danger if - f fin ous book to meddle with ! but arch per ect, and in e co ndition I , have no objection to your giving a hundred guineas, or even a little more . But above all things , be f ” well satisfied on these points be ore you buy . What of the future Does the steady rise in value o f the book during the last century and a half warrant any f ! I f prediction as to the uture so , and there is no reason to believe that the interest in this great book will diminish , of by the end the present century, collectors and book sellers O f that d ay may expect to see a fine First Folio bring at auction a hundred thousand dollars .

I 2 Pe rfect C o pies in P riva te H ands in

Am e rica

1 . f The present copy, described more ully on a pre ’ ceding page . Lee s NO . X I I I .

2 . . W C E D IGHT CHUR H , Brooklyn . No . XXXI I of Lee’ s list but it should probably have been included in his

if - first division , as it had been cut down one quarter inch the evidence that some of the preliminary leaves were from t a smaller example would have been removed . Al hough v 1 Lee gi es the height as 3 % inches , this is an error . The

1 8 - 1 6 measurements are 3 % by 3 inches . The substituted

1 2 1 - 1 6 leaves noted by Lee measure 5 inches in height . ’ ff u aritch s l of This is the copy o ered in Q Cata ogue June , 1 888 and there described as follows

f t The First Folio , quite per ect, with ti le , portrait, verses , and all preliminary leaves in splendid original con

b o f dition , untouched y the hand any modern renovator . 1 A genuine, sound, fine and very large copy ( 3 % inches in height) , bound in red morocco , super extra, in the Veneti ’ of i f English style Queen Elizabeth s t me, by Bed ord . “ This copy , equal in size and in every other respect f n the to the amous Da iel copy, is only first rate First Folio which has been seen since the Daniel Sale twenty-four years f t ago . There are perhaps not our such copies in exis ence and there is therefore no possibility of measuring their value by a reference to even the highest prices paid fo r ordinarily ” good copies .

P . . 3 . MARSDEN J . PERRY, rovidence, R I This is ’ e Sidney Lee s X , which at that time belong d to Bernard 1 3 ’ Sfia éespea r e s Fou r Folios

B a Geor e G u chanan M c g of lasgow, but which was acquired (with the other three folios) in 1 905 by the present owner was for Size 1 2 % by 8% inches . It long in f s m the French amily of Belleroche, which ettled for a ti e f in England after the revocation o the Edict of Nantes. Subsequently owned by a member of the family residing ’ near Brussels and sold by him at Christie s Sale-rooms in 1 8 July , 99, to Francis H arvey, a bookseller, for The volume is in old calf (possibly the original binding) im erfec and is in fine condition throughout . The only p “ tions noted by Lee are a few corners of margin torn off “ but when sold at auction in 1 899 the description said : A f of off the portion o the outer margin the title cut , but por of f trait not touched , a small portion the text rom the cor its u n ners or 4 pages torn O ff. But on account of good restored condition ( never having been in the hands of a modern binder) this copy is one of the most desirable ex tant .

’ I P O A N s . 4 . J . P ER ONT M RG N, New York . Lee o V 1 8 XXX I I . A very large copy 3 % by % inches . The leaf of Verses has been repaired and two other leaves have f been supplied rom a smaller original . This copy has an interesting history . The earliest owner so far traced was Sir

l 1 80 . John Sebright, whose col ection was dispersed in 7 It later belonged to Professor Robert Willis by whom it was ’

1 8 2 20 1 os . sold at Hodgson s in 7 bringing , It then lacked the title-page which was supplied after its purchase by Leonard Laurie Hartley who also took the liberty ofin serting the book into old covers , bearing the arms of Robert of s Sidney, the second Earl Leicester. At the Hartley ale was Toove the it acquired by James y, bookseller and was 1 4 ’ Sfia éespea r e s Four Folios

c s w his pur ha ed from him , ith private library , by Mr . Morgan in 1 899 .

’ . . V I ! . 1 N 5 Mrs LE LE TER , Washington . Lee s o . s LI I I , wrongly included in his Clas I I , under the supposi c s tion that it la ked a leaf which is imply misplaced . It is w 1 actually one of the finest copies kno n , measuring 3 % by 8 1 1 -1 6 s f inche and in an old cal binding, probably the original . The last leaf is repaired, a portion of the Colo phon being in facsimile . It was priced by ( hmritch in 1 88 C N 8 . 20 August, ( atalogue o 9 at £4 and was described f in part, as ollows

is c a This a opy of extr ordinary value, such as I can never hope to see again ! that is entirely perfect and unso

histicated in . p , its original condition I t has an infinite superiority over the very best of the fine and perfect copies of w s hitherto known, all hich were in modern binding and had no doubt un dergone the usual course of mixture of f r leaves and supplying of imper ections, which dest oy the confortable assurance of genuineness that we desiderate in f ” all old books o more than ordinary value .

’

O H E . . 6 . O R BERT , New York Lee s XXXV Very

c 1 8 . r large opy, measuring 3 by % inches Ve y clean throughout, never having been washed, in a red morocco f of binding by Roger Payne . The lea Verses and title are o f both inlaid, some letters in the first, second and last line title having been supplied in facsimile . The lower margin of the last leaf has also been slightly restored . This was the Syston Park copy and when that library was sold in ’ 1 88 . 4 by the founder s grandson, Mr Hoe acquired the for 0 volume £59 . I S ’ Séa éespea r e s Fou r F olios

D . 7 . P . A . B . WI ENER , Philadelphia Lee XXIV, then

- in the Locker Lampson library at R o wfant. When pur

Mr 1 8 0 f O f chased by . Locker about 7 , it lacked the lea

o f ff f Verses . The story his e orts to secure this lea is told 20 The by him in My Confid ences (pp . 3 sub f f stituted lea , which was ound in an old scrap book was small and somewhat injured, so that it was necessary to o f supply the lower and inner margins . At the dispersal

R owfant 8: f the library by Dodd , Mead Company , the olio was acquired by Mr . W . C . Van Antwerp , the price paid ’ being At the sale of his collection at Sotheby s fo r i aritch in March last, was paid the book by Q .

f m 1 8 . It is a large copy, the lea easuring 3 by inches

’ K F C NO 8 . . . CHARLES C . ALB LEIS H , New York Lee s 1 —1 6 b 8 1 - 1 6 XXXVI . A very tall copy (measuring 3 3 y t inches) in an old binding ascribed o Roger Payne . The

Verses and title are inlaid and the last leaf rebacked . It was purchased at the Tait sale in 1 87 8 by the late Charles H . Kalbfleisch for 8 £4 0.

’

. LI NO . 9 WIL AM A . WHITE , Brooklyn . Lee s . XIV

- - - The Tite Robinson Cooke Ives copy . At the Ives sale 1 8 1 8: fo r in 9 it was purchased by Dodd, Mead Company

1 8 . then , and until 99 the record price at auction measu r The copy is fine and sound throughout, but small , 1 2 - 1 6 1 - 1 6 ing only 3 by 7 5 inches .

’

1 0 . I . WILL AM A . READ , New York . Lee s No

XXXIX . A clean u nwashed copy in a binding by Charles — . I 2 8 1 6 f of Lewis Size % by 3 inch s . Lea Verses inlaid / e o f of and lower corner title mended, part the Imprint bring f . f LeEerts . in acsimile It ormerly belonged to Marshall C .

1 6

’ Sfia éespea r e s Fou r Folios

’

MR S G O . I O . 1 . 5 . E RGE L HARR S N , Philadelphia Lee s

- 1 8 1 6 . f No . XXXIV . Size 3 % by 3 inches The lea of “ ” Verses is inlaid and the title mounted with inlaid portrait and preliminary leaves and first two leaves of Tempest inlaid .

Pe rfect C o pie s in P u blic Libra ries in Ame rica

’ C . BOSTON PUBLI LIBRARY, Lee s No XI . The

. 1 8 Thomas P Barton copy bequeathed to the library in 79 .

O OW ’ J HN CARTER BR N LIBRARY, Providence . Lee s

No . XI I . The Turner copy, acquired by Mrs . John

Carter Brown in 1 885 .

I A OF ’ L BR RY CONGRESS , Washington . Lee s No . ! ’

. 1 88 . XXVI I Purchased at Sotheby s in December, 9

’ NE W IC NO I . YORK PUBL LIBRARY . Lee s . XXVI I ’ Winsor s No . 9 . Acquired by Mr . Lenox about 1 860.

’ NE W C A YORK PUBLI LIBR RY . Lee s No . XXIX . ’ 8 Winsor s No . . The copy described by Lowndes , having 1 2 the date mutilated so as to resemble 6 2 . Acquired by

. 1 860 Mr Lenox about .

’ U V A New COLUMBIA NI ERSITY LIBR RY, York . Lee s '

NO . . 1 2 . XXX Winsor s No . The S . Whitney Phoenix 1 8 copy , bequeathed to the library in 8 2 .

1 8 Pe rfect C o pie s in P riva te H a nds in E ngla nd

TH E A OF A O B - EST TE THE B R NESS URDETT COUTTS , ’

. N O . f London Lee s . V The amous Daniel copy fo r

1 6 8 . which £7 , 5 was paid . This was long the record price .

T H E OF F EARL CARYS ORT, Elton Hall , Peterborough . ’ Lee s No . VI . The Ouvry copy which brought £4 20 in

1 882 .

TH E L OF WF EAR CRA ORD , Haigh Hall, Lancashire . ’ f ’ Lee s No . VI I . The Earl o Charlemont s copy which 1 8 for sold in his sale in 5 5 £45 5 .

’

G O I O F D . E RGE L NDSAY H L OR , London Lee s No . ’ Boaden s VI I I . Perhaps James copy . F ’ N O . AL RED HENRY H UTH , Andover . Lee s IX .

- - The Hibbert Wilks Dunn Gardner copy, acquired by the ’ late Henry Huth at the sale of John Dunn Gardner s 1 for 2 0 books in 854 £ 5 .

’

BE AU F O Y . . . MARK , London Lee s No XVI I I This copy is in an authentic binding by Roger Payne and is especially interesti ng as it contains his itemized bill for the work .

TH E F D - ESTATE O THE BARONESS BUR ETT COUTTS , ’ NO . . London . A second copy . Lee s XX

’

NO . T H E OF V O . DUKE DE NSHIRE , Chatsworth Lee s ’ of XXI . The Duke Roxburghe s copy, which brought 1 1 8 1 2 £ 00 in .

’

A L OW Go sall . . E R H E , p , Leicestershire Lee s No

Go sall 1 . XXI I . This copy has been at p Since 7 73 A poor copy! announced as to be sold by Sotheby . I 9 ’ Séo lzespea r e s Four Folios

’ LF D LAW H onresfield . A RE , , near Manchester Lee s

O . s C c s N . XXI I I The Frederic Perkin opy , pur ha ed at his sale in 1 889 for £4 1 5 .

’ ILLIA L P Chestal G . W M PHE S , , loucestershire Lee s

f 1 820. No . XXV . Has been in the Phelps amily since

’ ’ L S . L R . J . WA KER, St . Paul s chool , London ee s c of No . XXVI . The Henry Perkins opy , at the sale whose library in 1 873 it brought £5 85 .

A D A c . N . L Y WANT GE, Lo kinge House, Berkshire o I ’ The ibra r of Lee s supplementary list as published in L y . The Verses (lacking the initials) at end are cu t around and — mounted and the letter-press of the title page has been repaired. N ’ E F O FOL O . . DUK O N R K . I I of Lee s supplementary r new f list. Ve ses cut out and inlaid on a lea , and the last of - f two figures the dates on the title page in acsimile .

’ B A D UAR I TO H L ERN R Q , London . ee s No . XIX, then ’ B c belonging to Abel u kley, but sold by him at Sotheby s 1 1 0 for of re on June , 9 7 , The leaf Verses is a of m rgined , though text is intact, and the margins two of leaves text have been repaired .

SO TH E R AN 8: CO . NO . . of HENRY , London . I I I ’ s s l n n G Lee upp ementary list, then belo gi g to Dr . John ott of Tren thon ff y . O ered in a Catalogue of this firm in the 1 0 is spring of 9 7 . It described as having the Verses c few guarded, orners of title and a other leaves mended, and f f last lea edged, our letters being in facsimile .

20 Perfect C o pie s in P u blic Librarie s in E ngla nd

’ ’ . . Grenville s BRITISH M USEUM Lee s No I . Thomas 1 The copy bequeathed to the Museum in 84 6 . Grenville “ Catalogue says : Supposed to be the most beautiful copy ” f re known . Nevertheless the last lea is in whole or part if margined we read aright a description given by Winsor .

’ LON D ON I NSTITUTION . Lee s No . I I . Lord Lans ’

of 1 806 . downe s copy, purchased at the sale his library in

’

I O L . N . . E d TRIN TY C L EGE, Cambridge Lee s o I I I ’ Ca ell s ward p copy , bequeathed to the College with his 1 library in 77 9 .

’

NO . TRINITY COLLEGE, Cambridge . Lee s . IV . Rev ’ Gr ll s 1 86 . William y copy , bequeathed to the College in 3

IC O I . V T R A AND ALBERT MUSEUM , South Kensington ’ ’ Lee s No . XV . Alexander Dyce s copy , bequeathed to M 1 86 the useum in 9 .

’ T E SI R O O . . H J HN S ANE MUSEUM , London Lee s No ’ XVI . Sir John s copy . I nlaid throughout, perhaps Isaac ’ Reed s copy .

' A P - P C f -on SH KES EARE S BIRTH LA E M USEUM , Strat ord ’ Avon . Lee s No . XVI I The Ashburnham copy, acquired by the Museum at the Ashburnham sale in 1 897 .

d NO TE The basis of the above lists is of course the Census prepare o f simile re rint of the First Folio by Sidney Lee to acc mpany the ac p , n 1 0 z published at O xford i 9 .

2 ! The Seco nd F o li o

SAAC JA GGAR D seems to have died some time pre i 1 1 6 2 v ou s to June 9 , 7 , as on that day (as determined a ard by Professor Arber) his widow, Dorothy J gg , assigned over to Thomas Cotes and Richard Cotes “All the estate right title and I nterest which I saack e J aggard ” her late husband had in a certain list of books among which appears “ r her parte in Shacksphee e playes . of Edward Blount, the other printer the First Folio, w u 2 6 1 6 seems to have died bet een J ne and November , f ’ 1 63 0. The ollowing entry occurs in the Stationers Reg

o f ister, as the latter date “ O MASTER ALL T . Memorandum master Blount assigned over unto him all his estate and right in the Copies hereafter men cioned as appeareth by a note under Blou ntes the 26 o f 1 6 0 master hand, Dated June 3 in o f Pu rfoote the time master Warden , his !whose! hand ’ is subscribed thereunto . Then follows a list of the same plays entered to

a ard 8 1 6 2 . J gg and Blount on November , 3 1 6 2 Thus , in 3 , when the six hundred copies (or there abouts) of the First Folio were exhausted and the demand t s ill continuing, these two firms the Cotes Brothers and Robert Allot controlled the copyright and alone could produce a new edition . They seem , however, to have given a small share in the u ndertaking to the other two l of booksellers , John Smethwick and William Asp ey the syndicate who published the First Folio , and to have also taken in two other bookselling partners , Richard Hawkins and Richard Meighen . The colophon reads alike in all

2 2 ’ Sfia éespea r e s Fou r Folios

“ : for copies Printed at London by Thomas Cotes , John

Smethwick , William Aspley , Richard Hawkins , Richard t Meighen , and Rober Allot, Each bookseller,

for however, seems to have had a separate title printed his

- quota, and the imprints at the bottom of the title pages differ . ’ o f of Allot s share , as one the principal backers the

far enterprise was , as might be supposed, by the larger, and of five copies which come upon the market perhaps four the bear his name in imprint . His copies were probably the first printed . Two varieties are known , the first being “ best distinguished by the misprint Coppies for Copies t ff in the sixth line , though here are other di erences showing

- that the type on the title page was twice set . I n making up the page the type- matter was first printed and the por ’ D roesho u t s - trait from old copper plate , was printed in the n space left for it . As first arra ged this space was too small and copies of the earliest issue have the word London of f the imprint covered by the portrait . This ault was cor of rected in the later issue . The imprint this first issue reads : for t London , Printed by Tho . Cotes , Robert Allo and are to be sold at his shop at the signe I of the

- blacke Beare in Pauls Church yard . t This was slightly altered when the page was rese . The words at his shop ” are omitted and blacke begins with a capital letter . “ f f of A The companion lea , or ollower the title , 5

U E ffI ies . pon the g , was also reprinted The earliest issue may be distinguished by having the name Shakes peare” in the second heading printed in italic letters instead of small caps . 23 ’ S/za éespéa r e s Fou r Folios

The imprints of the copies made for other booksellers are as follows

for London , Printed by Tho . Cotes, John

Smethwick , and are to be sold at this shop in Saint — 1 6 2 . D u nstans Church yard . 3

’ A copy with this imprint brought £690 at Sotheby s

1 02 . . in March , 9 , and was acquired by Mr Perry

for London , Printed by Tho . Cotes , Richard

Hawkins, and are to be sold at his shop in Chancery

nerre . Lane , Serjeants Inne ’ A copy of this issue brought £850 at Sotheby s in 1 0 May, 9 3 .

for London , Printed by Tho . Cotes, William o f Parrat Aspley, and are to be sold at the signe the

- 1 6 2 . in Pauls Church yard . 3

for London , Printed by Tho . Cotes , Richard

Meighen, and are to be sold at the middle I Temple

le t tre t 1 6 2 . Gate in F e s e . 3 f The Second Folio was reprinted rom the First, and f the text is generally page or page with it . There are so many variations that it seems probable that an effort was of made at editing the text . I n the opinion the Cambridge “ editors , however, these emendations deserve no more res ect o f p than those other guessers , except such as is due to ’ their author s familiar acquaintance with the language and ’ of d a of customs Shakespeare s y, and possible knowledge the acted plays . Two new preliminary leaves were added to the Second “ U E ffi es Folio , one containing pon the g and An ” “ Epitaph (the verso of this leaf is blank) and the other On 24

The Third F o lio

“ 1 66 for H E Third Folio , issued in 3 was Printed ” ’ Chetwinde bu t Philip , the printer s name does f not occur in the volume . It was reprinted rom the Second Folio and the text shows some corrections , though the printer did , however, make some new errors , The text o f the first issue is page for page (with three or four exceptions) with the Second Folio , but the pages are continuously numbered while in the First and Second

Folios the paging runs in three series , the Comedies , His tories and Tragedies being numbered separately . The preliminary matter is the same bu t is differently arranged and printed in larger type .

Like the First and Second Folios , the first issue of the

— - Third Folio has a letter press title page, the portrait,

f O ld printed rom the copperplate engraved by Droeshout, f r - o f being printed in the space left o it . The letter press the title was printed first as in the majority of copies the P space is blank . The imprint reads London , rinted ’ fo r Chetwind e I n Philip , this issue Ben Jonson s Verses upon the portrait are printed in large type on the of f lik s verso a lea preceding title and the text ends , the two f preceding olios , with Cymbeline . Very shortly after the volume was published it seems to have been discovered that additional plays credited to

Shakespeare were in existence, and the advisability of adding them to the volume was no doubt at once apparent Chetwind to , the publisher . These plays , seven in number, were put in type uniform with the body o f the book and bound in at the end . Together they fill sixty additional

26 fi ’ S a éespea r e s Fou r Folios

“ ” a s. of P c le ve Only the first the seven , eri les , is admitted s ’ by modern author to be Shakespeare s own , though all had s h been printed eparately in quarto as by S akespeare, even his before death . The publisher seems not to have procured “ ” them all at one time . Pericles was printed as two signa “ 6 1 20 tures , a, leaves and b, 4 leaves, and paged to . The ” “ London Prodigal and Thomas , Lord Cromwell were printed together, signatures and each 4 ” leaves . With Sir John Old castle begins a new series

. 6 ofsignatures “A, “B , each leaves! “C, “D , “E , “F,

G 6 . i each 4 leaves and , leaves The pr nter, however, s f for eems to have had the preceding sheets be ore him , , while the first leaf is marked “A and the second leaf A2 “ , the third is marked 3 . The last six plays f 1 1 0 are paged continuously rom to 0. Having these additional plays at the end of the

t . t e volume, the publisher prin ed a new title I n this “ ’ printed title the second line is altered to Shakespear s “ ” from Shakespeares but o therwise the first four lines of seem to be from the types the first issue . Line 5 “ The third Impression is reset in a larger type, and below it (in the Space formerly left for the portrait) is printed “And unto this Impression is added seven f Playes , never before Printed in Folio . viz . ollowed by a list of the titles of the seven plays . Then comes an ornament and the imprint, reset, in larger type and in a t of single line, with the ini ials only the publisher and with “ for an altered date London , Printed P . C . t w of - The por rait, cro ded out the title page was printed ’ s s on a separate leaf with Ben Jonson s verse , reset in maller

f e . type below it . This ac s the title

2 7 ’ Séa éespea r e s F ou r Folios

Copies of the Third Folio vary in their preliminary leaves . Copies with the Verses separate in large type and without the portrait should not contain the additional of com an plays . Instead tearing out the early title and its p ion Verses when inserting the reprinted ones , the binder f seems to have le t them in some copies , and these copies of with both titles are the more desirable . A copy the

O ld f 1 66 the book in cal , with the 3 title (containing

of po rtrait) , with the earliest form the Verses (in large type and having inserted at the end the seven plays preceded by the 1 6 64 title (but apparently without its accompanying ’ portrait and Verses) brought 1 550 at Sotheby s on June I st last . The statement commonly made in sale-catalogues that the larger part of this third edition was destroyed in the

Great Fire of London in 1 666 is probably not true . The ’ su f book is rare, especially in collector s condition , but not ficiently so to warrant the belief that any considerable of portion the edition met with destruction . As it seems of Chetwind to have been printed at the expense alone, we may presume that the number printed was smaller than of f of that the other olios , all which were brought out by of syndicates booksellers . No definite effort seems to have been made to f enumerate existing copies . The earliest date o f sale o a t copy at auc ion which Mr . Winsor was able to trace is

1 6 8 of 1 66 S 7 when a copy the 3 issue brought £1 8 . In 1 8 8 for 4 , at the Stowe sale , Rodd the bookseller acting 1 0s c Barton went to £3 4 for a fine tall opy . Then , as he “ f f and a terwards said , My heart ailed me I let it go at £3 5, ” of which I have repented ever since . Compare this with the paid last June

28 The F o u rth F o lio

N something like twenty years the works of Shakespeare “ ” of 8 were again out print , and early in 1 6 5 the

Fourth Folio was published . This edition seems to have been undertaken at the expense of Henry Herring f of man , the riend Dryden , and who , according to Pro fessor Arber seem to have been the first London of Wholesale Publisher in the modern sense these words . It was reprinted from the Third Folio without editorial of ff change , but the types , size page, etc . are di erent . The ’

. D roeshou t s preliminary leaves are six in number portrait, printed from the old c0pper- plate (but much touched up ’ 1 66 and altered) with Jonson s verses below, as in the 4 f - issue of the Third Folio , aces the title page . The Dedi cation forms one leaf printed on both sides as in the Third f Folio , but Pre ace and commendatory verses which in the Third Folio fills seven leaves are here crowded into three by being set in smaller type and partly in double columns .

The text is in three parts , with separate signatures and of pagination , and an examination the types Show that a copy of the Third Folio was , apparently broken into three ff sections and sent to three di erent printers . The first 1 0 0 printer received the Comedies , pp . to 3 3 (page 3 4 being

- 0 66 . 66 blank)! the second pp . 3 5 4 and the third pp 7 to of the end . The break was not at the end the Histories , ” but between Romeo and Juliet and Timon of ” of Athens . The types used in printing the text the three parts seem to be different but as the founts in some cases seem to have been mixed this is less easy of detection than

ff c . the di eren es in headings , etc 29 ’ Sfia éespea r e s Fou r Folios

The printer of the first part had a set of large initial s - c m letter , about one and one fourth in hes high, the pro inent of e decoration being a sunflower . One these initials is us d “ ” “ at the beginning of each play from The Tempest to The ’ c Winter s Tale . The printer of the se ond part started out by using a smaller ornamental initial N for King John, of much like that used in the Third Folio , but in the case all the other Plays he used only a plain blo ck letter and not of always uniform in size . The printer the third part also used only plain block letters of different sizes for his in O f or dented initials . The printers the second and third p tions used much larger and blacker types for the headings of the plays than did the printers of the first section . As these types were not always uniform it is not easy to de scribe them . The Act and Scene headings at the beginning of each play are constantly printed throughout in each portion in a distinct type . These headings throughout the first portion c a are printed in a plain itali , the capit ls measuring about 5

3 2 of an inch in height . I n the second section a somewhat f - 1 6 similar, but larger type , the capitals measuring a ull 3 t t inch in height, was used . I n the hird sec ion a still larger type was used, the capitals having prominent kerns, “ ” s what the printer call swash letters . The first printer finished his portion with page 27 2 but as he had a nother “ leaf of his signature remaining he printed the Names of the Actors in large type at the top of page though f r o 2 2 . f there was ample room the list on page 7 One lea , 1 1 2 - 1 2 L , pages 3 4 is printed in a much smaller type and c much more rowded, showing apparently that something s had been omitted and in re etting, a smaller type was made

. s f m 1 28 necessary The econd section is paged ro to 3 , the 3 0 ’ Sh akespea r e s Fou r Folios

of last signature having eight leaves instead six. The i the s f 1 0 pag ng of third ection is rom to 3 3 . The title-page follows that o f the Third Folio so c as of losely to reprint, above the list additional plays the w N f ” ords ever be ore Printed in Folio . There were two distinct settings of the types of the - w i title page , and one of these sho s two variations in the m

- . ff t print There are thus three di erent itle pages . What “ seems to be the earlier form has the first line : Mr ’ ” William Shakespear s (no period after The m vignette is a small square ornament, not sym etrical, and apparently one of four pieces which placed together would have made a symmetrical decoration consisting of fi nine diamond shaped gures . This fragment shows one f f of per ect figure , the hal two others and the quarter of f m a fourth . This or has the imprint

d for H errin man Lon on Printed H g , and are to be

sold by Joseph Knight I and Francis Saunders, at the Anchor in the Lower Walk I of the New Ex

change,

- The first line in the reprinted title page is Mr. ’ William Shakespear s (with a period after The f vignette in this is a per ect and symmetrical ornament, a “ ” - - fleur de lis in a border . The line The Fourth Edition is in a smaller and thinner type . I The imprint in some copies of this title reads

L H errin man . , ondon , I Printed for H g , E Brewster B R . Chiswell , and R . entley, at the Anchor I in the

New Exchange ! and at the Crane , and Rose and C c - rown in St. Pauls I Chur h Yard, and in Russell

- C G 1 6 8 . Street, ovent arden, 5 3 1 ’ Sfio éespea r e s Fou r Folios

far In others, and this is by the commoner form , the name o f Chiswell is omitted . M ost copies read “ f H errin man . B or . s London , I Printed H g , E rew ter, ’

and R . Bentley , at the Anchor in the !New Ex C - change , the Crane in St . Pauls hurch Yard , and in

- - 1 6 8 . I Russell Street Covent Garden . 5 Our reason for giving priority to the Knight and Saunders title lies in the fact that this was the one which is “ of recorded in the Term Catalogue, A Catalogue Books . 1 6 8 Printed and Published at London in Easter Term, 5 . 1 6 8 This number was published in May, 5 , and the entry, among books “ Reprinted” is “ ’ Shakes ear s 4 . Mr . William p Comedies , Histories, and Tragedies . Published according to the true original

. . . for Copies The Fourth Edition Folio Printed H . H erri m n ha F . g and sold by J . Knight and Saunders at the ” h of Blew Anc or in the Lower Walk the New Exchange . ’ H errin man s g shop had long been at this address but, “ according to Prof. Arber he turned over his retail business at the Blue Anchor in the New Exchange, Strand, to Fran f cis Saunders and Joseph Knight, and devoted himsel to the o f W production large English orks . This was probably 1 6 8 f earlier than February, 4 as in that month our books “ for H errin man were advertised as Printed H . g : and sold ” by J . Knight and F . Saunders etc . This is the first ’ appearance of these book- sellers names in the Term

Catalogue . Did H erringman find it advisable after the book was for published to place copies sale, with other booksellers, and is this the explanation o f the printed title ! If so why did he not pu t the name of Knight and Saunders in the im print as well as the address of his old shop ! 3 2