The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-13
Uery 6IsI, Prize
Brcasbt bg tbe First
fUlio Of Shaksspeart.

fcIic Of Shakespeare.
N0~S~00Soc~OOS~0~~~o0 NS-S~O0I~~o~NNN-N~~N|~N~
| Lovers OF the immortal william
Shakespeare in wichita will be interest
ed in a letter telling about a first folio
copy of his plays and the heavy price 1t
brought. The letter from London says:
The phenomenAIly high sum of $500 OBJ
tanned day or two ago in Messrs. Chris
ties auction rooms for a copy of the first
folio edition of Shakespeare has caused
widespread attention to be directed
afresh to this. one OF the most interesting
and valuable books in the world. Not ev-
cry connoisseur and bookseller only. but
large numbers OF the public who in gen.
eral are in no way stirred by incidents
OF the kind. are supposedly discussing
| this latest wonder OF the salesrooms.
Was 1t bought for American Is a Ques-
ton frequently heard Although no def
mite Information on this point is forth
coming, ] am inclined to think not. On
the other hand, there Is good reason to
believe that theunder bidder was acting
on behalf of. or, at any rate. with tie
hope OF. selling the volume to a trlns-
atlantic collector. I chance 20 know that
!
from the United States. one connoisseur
who has expressed his eagernass 10 pur-
chase coLy. he being prepared to give
SOD or more If necessary for an fx-
ample in desirable condition.
Only few weeks ago one of the ablest
of our young Shakespearian students de-
| plored the number Of first folios which
have recently passed out OF the country.
stating by way Of illustration that, being
anxious to consult three examples until
| lately In private collections here he dis
covered that they all hal feen acqul: ed
| by Americans to say nothing c; the
EaiiiWell-Philiips' r3py. row in ire pos
session OF Mr.. Martin J. Perry Of Provi-
dence, r. 1. The very latest instance of
one OF these undergraduates books be-
ing procured for an oversee library is
that Of the late Mr.. James Toovey's copy.
one OF the tallest in existence, measur-
ing no less than 13% inches by So. inches
and in exceptionally good condition. This
copy belonged at one time to Sir Robert
Sidney, Earl of Leicester, whose arms ap-
pear on the side of the original calf
binding. 1t has been bought by an Am
| erican connoisseur-along with a number
OF examples by early English printers,
notably the "Boke OF St Adams" and a
magnificent albiet not extensive assem-
blage of fine French Italian and other
bindings-for sum said to be in excess
OF $4,000. Personally ] am inclined to
think that we at home gain much from
this spread to America of what DIbdin
characterized as bibliomania So long as
IL does not fall to the level of paving
hundreds of dollars for booklets by young
living authors, 1t serves to strengthen.
surely. the literary bond between the two
great English-speaking communities. 1t
Is because we regard the writings of
Shakespeare as a glorious possession, and
the man himself as the greatest drama
list that the world has ever seen. or is
likely to see. that no important library Is
cons.fered complete without a copy of
the volume in question.
That just sold came, I believe, from
Belgium, and 1t Is rumored that so in
different TO, or ignorant of its worth was
its late owner that he would willingly
have exchanged 1t for a fifty dollar note.
1t measures 12H inches by So inches; the
portrait by Droeshout, with the verses by
Ben johnson opposite, are there; but a
portion of the outer margin of the title Is
lacking, and fragments Of the text from
four pages torn off. Save for these reIa-
lively slight defects, however, 1t is a fine
example. whose interest is added to by a
binding thought to date from about 100
The bidding began at $500, was quickly
carried to 5000, and did not cease until
the extraordinarily high offer Of $500
had been reached.
AS Is well known, the title page of the
first folio bears the words. Printed by
Isaac Jaggard for Ed. Blount, 1e23.'
Others, however, were concerned In the
venture. During Shakespeare's lifetime
William Jaggard, who for some time af-
ter 1911 was printer to the city of Lon
don. had pirated. under the title of "The
Passionate Pilgrim" announced on the
title page as the work of Shakespeare
solely. five OF the dramatist's poems, add
ing fifteen more from other pens. and.
although some protest was raised. II was
quite ineffective. The volume proved sue
cessful. and thus Jaggard, by a method
which today would be impossible. be-
came assured of the selling value or
Shakespeare's name. AS printer OF the
players bills for the London theatres he
encountered many OF the actors OF his
day. among them, without doubt. the
dramatist's friends and fellow-actors
John Heming and Henry Condell, who
signed the dedication addressed to the
Earls of Pembroke and Montgomery But
in order to safeguard himself from loss
Jaggard formed a syndicate comprising
himself. his son Isaac, and these book
sellers, who were not printers. named
William Aspley. John Smethwick and
Edward Rlount the last of whom had
seen through the press a posthumous
work by his friend Christopher Marlowe
On November s. 1922. Blount and Isaac
Jaggard obtained the consent Of the Sta
TONERS company to published sixteen
hitherto unpublished plays Of Shakes
peare. these being set up from copies sup
piled by the manager of the company to
which Shakespeare had belonged This.
the only possible course. makeE Il i'm
probable that we possess these hitherto
unpublished plays in exactly the form
their author would have desired. Hem
ing and Condell pointed out that they
were not actuated by ambition. either
Of self-proft or fame In undertaking the
design" but only by the desire TO "keepe
the memory of so worthy a friend and
fellow as was our Shakespeare. 1; had
bene thing we fonfesse wor;hie to have
-hene wished that the author himself had
lived 10 have set forth and oversene his
owne writings"
Mr.. Sidney Lee-in whose scholarly ard
able work on Shakespeare many interest
ing details as to the typographical errors.
the first folio are to be found altera-