Bibliographic format
octavo
General notes
In 1785, Bell began to issue separate plays, seriatim, collecting them in twenty quarto volumes in 1788 as Dramatick writings of Will. Shakspere (Burnhim and Highfill, p. 16-17). Individual plays are of two or more editions of different date, usually mixed sets; plays of the first edition were printed in two formats, 8vo and 12mo (Folger card catalog)
Title transcription and imprint from v. 3 title page
Volumes 1 and 2 with title pages: Prolegomena to the dramatick writings of Will. Shakspere. Volumes 3-20 with two plays followed by their "Annotations by Sam. Johnson & Geo. Steevens, and the various commentators, upon [play title], written by Will. Shakspere."
Each vol. with a half-title and a vol. title page; each play with an individual title page bearing the heading "Bell's edition"; each annotation with an individual title page. Plays and annotations dated between 1785-1787
Plays and annotations with separate pagination and signatures; presumably also issued separately
Engraved illustrations, dated between 1784-1788, variously lettered by engravers: Cook, R. Cosway, Burk, Delattre, C. Sherwin, Bartolozzi, Sharpe, Grignion, Newnham, M. Brown, Thornthwaite; and by artists: Dance, Rhamberg, Burney, Sanders
The prefaces of Pope, Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, and Johnson; and a list of subscribers in v. 1. Malone's Attempt to ascertain the chronological order in which the plays of Shakspere were written, and Some account of the life, &c. of Mr. William Shakespear by Rowe in v. 2
Annotations upon King Henry IV, part 1 with "Mr. Tollet's opinion concerning the Morris Dancers upon his window" accompanied by folded engraving lettered: Grignion sculpt., in v. 11
Portions of PR2752 1788a copy 2 Sh.Col. and portions of copy 1 also available as a digital reproduction
Contents
v. 1-2. Prolegomena -- v. 3. Tempest ; Two gentlemen of Verona -- v. 4. Merry wives of Windsor ; Much ado about nothing -- v. 5. Measure for measure ; Comedy of errors -- v. 6. Love's labour's lost ; Midsummer-night's dream -- v. 7. Merchant of Venice ; As you like it -- v. 8. Taming of the shrew ; All's well that ends well -- v. 9. Twelfth-night ; Winter's tale -- v. 10. Macbeth ; King John -- v. 11. King Richard II ; King Henry IV, part 1 -- v. 12. King Henry IV, part 2 ; Henry V -- v. 13. King Henry VI, part 1-2 -- v. 14. King Henry VI, part 3 ; King Richard III -- v. 15. King Henry VIII ; Coriolanus -- v. 16. Julius Caesar ; Antony and Cleopatra -- v. 17. Timon of Athens ; King Lear -- v. 18. Hamlet ; Titus Andronicus -- v. 19. Troilus and Cressida ; Othello -- v. 20. Cymbeline ; Romeo and Juliet
Exhibited
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2018. Form and Function. Opening: Closed (Pr 2752 1788a copy 1 v.17 Sh.Col)
Item information about Folger PR2752 1788a copy 2 Sh.Col
With play illustrations bound preceding play t.p. Leather bookplate: Burnham Abbey Bucks. Autograph: R. Forster. George Steevens copy; two signed letters regarding edition (royal paper) and binding pasted into v.1, signed John Bell, Jan. 17, 1789; signed Wm. White and Son, Aprill 11, 1789. Green leather binding with filleting, marbled endpapers, and edges gilt; binder's ticket "bound by C. Kalthoeber, London". Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger
OPEN IN MIRADOR