The New York herald., 1874-10-11

WIN VI ~ ulhuy tACclcub lttFhly OuspEluSs w do
In no wlse Incompatible With limited university
education. now wish TO extend the argument
by general and particular review OF Shake
speare's WORKS in their chronological order, as
near as IL can be arrived at by the knowledge and
opinions OF early commen ators. This review will
also partly explain the reason for the composite
character Of his works.
.rERIcLRsr
Is one OF the disputed plays The first known quarto
edition was published in 1909, under the title,
"rhe late and much admired play called
'Pericies, ~ and pore William Shakespeare's name
as author. 1t had been registered the previous
year. prose tract, founded upon this
drama, was published by George wilkins
in 1908. The incidents are found III the
ancient romance OF "King Apoonlus, OF
Tyre,r ana also IN o prose translation
from the "Gesta Romanorum." This drama has
been thought to be snakespeare's first production,
aiterward retouched and revised by him. Dry
den in a certain prologue written in 1915, says:-
snakespeares muse his Percles first bore.
That it was mainly II not entirely Shakespeare's
composition is internally proved.
HENRY W.. 1sT ID AND Sd PARTS.
In Henslowe's Diary there is record that "Henry
vi" was first acted March g. 1912. This referred
TO The play now styled the First part, OF which
there is no copy earlier than that Of the folio OF
in two editions in quarto. That the Second and
Third parts were published without the First is
strong evidence that they were surreptltiousiy
obtained Mr.. Malone bases as his argument a
dissimiarity OF style and dcton TO prove that the
First part Of Henry vi. not composed by
Shakespeare, and that the Second and Third
parts were but altered by him from the old play
enJitled 1.-THE Contention or the Two famous
Houses Of Yorke and Lancaster printed in two
parts in 1594-5 The authorship OF this last named
work Is unknown, and 1t is not improbable that it
was juvenile production OF Shakespeare. The
historical TRANSACTIONS Of the First part take in
thirty years. the Second part ten years; the Third
sixteen years. In the three parts there is pre-
else attention to dates, and events are shuf1ed
backward and forward against the order OF
occurrence.
1.-TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA"
This play bears on Its face the stamp OF youth.
Malone supposes it was written about 1891. 1t was
first printed In the 1923 folio. 1t is presumed to
be wholly Shakspeare's.
'.THE COMEDY OF RRR0Rs.n
was first printed In the 1923 folio Meres aIludes
to it as early $685. showing that it was written
prior to that year. The plot was taken from
Plautus' "Menechmi," or perhaps from an English
translation thereof Chalmers places the compost
ton in 1891.
"LOvE's LABoR's LOST"
was published in quarto in 1898, with the follow
ing title:-"A pleasant comedie called Love's
Labor's Lost. Newly corrected and augmented.
BY W. Shakespeare" II stands seventh In the
fotio OF 1929 II founded on any novel, commen-
tators have not been able to discover the iact
Malone placed the composition OF the comedy in
1891, afterwards in 1894. DR.. Drake thought IL
might be safely assigned to the earlier period.
ORCHARD IL"
This play was first entered the stationers'
books IN 1897 There were four quarto editions
published during the life OF ShaKespeare-viz.,
1897, 1898, 1908 and 1915. There was an old play
on the subject OF Richard H.; but Shakespeare
founded mis- drama chiefly upon Holinshed's
'sChronicles,n from which he adopted several pas
sages with notable closeness. The date OF the
com position is placed Dy Malone in 1885, Chalmers
in 1896.
ORCHARD nI.n
Five quarto copies were published previous to
the one in the first folio 1t was first entered az
Sta,ioners' Hall in 1897. with the following title,
''The Tragedy OF King Richard the Third; contain
ing his treacherous Plots against his Brother
Clarence; the pitlful Murther OF his innocent
Nephewes; his tyrannical Usurpation; with the
whole course OF his detested Lie and most de-
served Death" Between the quarto copies and
the 1923 folio there are many variations OF text
nosirlon at 1898 TO 1886 t The action Of the n,av
comprises fourteen years.
TITUS ANDRoNICUS.o
johnson raises a doubt about the authorship OF
this play, asserting that 1t had been exhibited
twenty-five thirty years before 1914. 1t might
Shakespeare. Its scenes OF baroarity are Ger.
tainly no credit to any author OF taste A few
style, but incline to think it the style OF . new
beginner and very like Shakespearee. AnOny-
nous copies were published In 1000 and 1911. the
piece was only published with Shakespeare's
name after his death. In 1898 Meres enumerates
this among five, other tragedies as proof Of
Snakespeare's dramatic power.
MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM"
The plot OF tnis play seems TO have Deen
congruity OF Greek characters being mixed up
with English actors should remember that this Is
dream n anu no na cream w, was ever yes eonsssens
tion In 1884. In l6oO there were TWO quarto edi-
"arHE TANNING OF THE sHREwn
stands eleventh In the 1923 lolto An anonymous
play was printed In 1894 (by Pope ascribed to
Robert Greene) with the same title. FMS Shake.
speare rewrote, adopting the order OF the scenes
but retaining only lew lines which he thought
OF an early date, and Malone places 1t In the year
the anonymous copy was printed.
'.ROMEO AND JULIET"
From line in act l., scene I, spoken BY the
Nuise-ssTis since the earthquake now eleven
years'--the date Of this play has been traced to
again in 1892 the latter publication being ''newly
corrected, augmented and amended" The story
'.THE MERCHANT or vRNICB."
The earliest known publication ID that OF two
quarto editions In 1900, and 1t appears as ninth
play IN the 1923 folio Chalmers places the date OF
the composlti0n IN 1891, Malone In 1898. II has
also been ascribed to an earlier period, and was
believed to have been acted BY the company OF
actors OF whom Shakespeare was one, In 1904. The
main incidents in the plot are traditionary. From
passage in stephen Gosson's "School Of AbuseD
Q579) II appears that play comprehending Its
distinct. features had been exhibited, under the
title OF tsThe Jew,n long before Shakespeare COM
menced writing. Its plot, like Snakespeares, was
q combination from the "Pecorne" and the "Gesta
Romanorum."
'HENRY w. FIRST PART"
Malone places the date OF this composition In
1887 lthe year OF Its entry, DR.. Drake year
sooner. Five quarto editions were published
during the authors life. The first quarto bore the
ttle--'.The History OF Henrie the Fovrth, with the
Battell at Shrewsburle betweene the King and
Lord Henry Percy, surnamed Henrie Hotspur OF
the North. With the Humorous C0nceits OF Sir
John Fastane." The action OF the play embraces
about ten months
'HENRY w., SECOND PABr.n
Entered at Stationery Hall IN 1900; two copies