The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-14

An Increasing Demand All over the Coun-
try for Annotated Editions of His Works.

Although managers Of theatres still say
that Shakespeare spells ruin. the read
ers Of Shakespeare have within recent
years increased by many thousands.
There IS a constantly increasing demand
for the various annotated editions of
Shakespeare especially Of those emDody-
ing a single play IN each volume, ana
sets OF Shakespeare are sun faYorlte bllts
for Christmas and birthdays Reading
circles the country over especially IN
the North and East. are reading Shaks-
peare every winter, and these ana the
secondary schools have created demand
for expurgatrd editions with notes.
Women make up q large proportion or
the new readers Of Shakespeare. win
the increase of wealth in the country
has come an increase OF leisure among
women, il not among men, and
thousands of women whose moth
,rs found little time for any
thing beyond household duties have
taken 10 reading and study. This Is es-
pecially true If women In small cities
and even In villages, and tho nome STUDY,
once chiefly confined TO New England, Is
spreading TO nearly all parts OF the cOun-
try. These new students Of literature,
many Of whom nave never seen a play
acted upon n stage. are reading Shakes
appalling array. The sex n the readers
determines the special popularity or par
ticular plays. THE Merchant or Venice
is perhaps more read i'm the sngle-play
volumes than any other. though Julius
Caesar" because Of its having been made
q special subject Of study I'm secondary
schools. is much in demand. As You
Like II" THE Midsummer Night 3
Dream" "The Tempest Twelfth
Night" Winters Tale. and much Ado
About Nothing" are sold by the thou
sands TO the new students OF Shakes
peare. This list includes the comedies
most familiar 20 the stage. There Is
sometimes Il special demand for single
plays when such plays are Oh the boards.
The comedies far Outsell the tragedies.
or the latter Hamlet" as being general
~ held the greatest. IS more In demand
than any other Perhaps "OthollO" or
Romeo and juliet" comes next
There Is little demand for the histories,
and that FalstaW IS underyalued by the
feminine readers Of Shakespeare Is shown
by the fact that Henry W. Is rather
less widely read than several other OF the
histories Neither is there any special
demand for the Merry Wives Of Wind
sOr" The plays least called for are
Loves Labor Lost" Titus Androni-
Gus" and "Pericles Prince OF Tyre"
Measure for Measure" Is not much read
by the feminine admirers CT Shakespeare.
"Cymbellne," Is neglected In the single
play editions. SO. too. Is "CorlolanIs.'
Tho most popular plays are sold by
thousands where others sell only by tens.
30 Well - THIS recognized indeed tndt
few OF the so-called sets OF Shakespeare
intended for students include the least
popular plays. and. many as are the edi-
lions containing single play In each
volume. and especially designed 70 meet
the new demand there are only one or
two such editions that are AZ once uneN-
purgated and complete as 10 the number
cf plays So strong IS the demand for
annotated plays that a popular new edi-
ton. at first issued without notes. Is here
after 10 be annotated. Here Is another
evidence that the demand comes. rot
from old lovers Of Shakespeare familiar
with his text and al ease with its diff
culties but from the new students, the
modern women Of leisure.
The demand Is mainly for editions In
cheap binding. and paper-bound plays as
low as 10 cents a volume are sold.
though the annotated editions In cheap
est fern are usually considerably higher
I'm price than this. A full set OF Shakes
peare. one play 10 the volume. may be
had in substantial binding for Sl2 or SIS,
and editions Of this kind, bound In leath-
err are selling occasionally at as much as
sl95 a set.-New York Sun.