which they, like himself, belonged. The volume, however, ap pears to have had no proper editing, and every page is disfigured by the grossest typographical errors. While it is the earliest and the only authentic edition of the Plays, it cannot be accepted as anything like an infallible authority in all cases for what Shakespeare actually wrote.

The volume just described is commonly known as the "first folio." A second folio edition, including the same plays, appeared in 1632. It contains come new readings, which are

probably nothing more than the conjectural emendations of the unknown editor.

A third folio edition was issued in 1664. This contains the thirty-six Plays of the preceding folios, with Pericles and six dramas* not included in the modern editions. A fourth and last folio reprint followed in 1685.

These four folios were the only editions of the Plays brought out in the 17th century. The 18th century produced a long succession of editors-Rowe, Pope, Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, Johnson, Steevens, Capell, Reed, Malone, and Rann. In 1803 appeared what is known as Reed's Second Edition of Johnson and Steevens," in twenty-one volumes, in which were incorporated all the notes of the preceding editions.

*For an account of these and other plays which have been ascribed to Shakespeare, as well as for a fuller description of these early editions of his works, see our Life of Shakespeare, etc.

This was followed in 1821 by what is now the standard "Va riorum edition," also in twenty-one volumes, mostly prepared by Malone, but completed and carried through the press by his friend Boswell. The most important English editions of more recent date are those of Knight, Collier, Singer, Staunton, Dyce, Clark and Wright, and Halliwell. The only American editions of any critical value are Verplanck's (1847), Hudson's (1855 and 1881), and White's (1857-1865 and, 1883).

ARMS OF JOHN SHAKESPEARE

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

I. THE HISTORY OF THE PLAY.

The Merchant of Venice is the last on a list of Shakespeare's plays given by Francis Meres in his Palladis Tamia, which appeared in 1598. In the same year it was entered as follows on the Register of the Stationers' Company :-

"22 July, 1598, James Robertes.] A booke of the Marchaunt of Venyce, or otherwise called the Jewe of Venyse. Provided that yt bee not prynted by the said James Robertes. A-2

or anye other whatsoever, without lycence first had from the right honourable the Lord Chamberlen."

The company of players to which Shakespeare belonged, and for which he wrote, were "the Lord Chamberlain's Servants;" and the above order was meant to prohibit the publication of the play until the patron of the company should give his permission. This he appears not to have done until two years later, when the following entry was made in the Register:

"28 Oct., 1600, Tho. Haies.] The booke of the Merchant of Venyce."

Soon after this entry, the play was published by Heyes, in quarto, with the following title:

The most excellent | Historie of the Merchant of Venice. | With the extreame crueltie of Shylocke the lewe | towards the sayd Merchant, in cutting a iust pound | of his flesh: and the obtayning of Portia | by the choyse of three chests. As it hath beene diuers times acted by the Lord | Chamberlaine his Seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. | AT LONDON, | Printed by I. R., for Thomas Heyes, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard, at the | signe of the Greene Dragon. | 1600.

Another edition, also in quarto, was issued the same year, by Roberts, with the following title:

THE EXCELLENT | History of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreme cruelty of Shylocke | the Iew towards the saide Merchant, in cut- | ting a iust pound of his flesh. And the obtaining | of Portia, by the choyse of three Caskets. | Written by W. SHAKESPEARE. | Printed by F. Roberts, 1600. The play was not reprinted until it appeared in the folio of 1623, where the text varies but little from the quartos.

There is good reason to believe that the play was written and acted as early as 1594. In Henslowe's Diary, under the date "25 of aguste 1594," we find a record of the performance of "the Venesyon comodey," which is marked ne, as