New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-08
Edited Editions Of Shake
speare's Plays and Por-
traits Shown.
SIDNEY LEE COPY
ONE OF ATTRACTIONS
Perkins Folio" of 1852. Basis
of Notorious Forgery, Also
Displayed in Collection.


tion to the Shakespeare tercentenary
in the form Of al exhibition illustra-
tive Of the text Of Shasespeare's plays,
as published in edited editions, to-
gether with a large collection Of en-
graved portraits Of the poet
The first part Of the exhibition opens
with the Four Folio editions, lbZ3-'oo'
and 10 Is the fortune Of the club 10 be
able 20 show the copy. until lately
the possession Of the Duke of Devon
shire. that SIR Sidney Ice chose for
reproduction in making his celebrated
facsimile OF this greatest OF English
books The first complete collected
edition Of Shakespeare plays was
printed partly from early quartos and
partly from manuscript copies IN the
hands Of the players, and consequently
did not have the careful editing that
n ight have been expected for so i'm
portant a work. but nevertheless TWEEN
8 of the plays which had not hitherto
appeared In quarto form were pre-
served from destruction.
IL is 20 Nicholas Rowe poet Laureate
and dramatist. that $50 owe the first At
crn sense. From bis edition. which ap-
peared IN 1903, 20 the present day edl-
tors have been buslly engaged boo cor
rectiors and emendations. The various
editions OF the eighteenth ce-itury. to-
gether with many nineteenth century
editions. arc shown IN the club exhibit
ton. displaying the great industry and
scholarship devoted 10 the eiucidatlOn
& .. al 30
bitterness Of feeling which arose from
the editors criticisms Of one another.
The poet Pope was the second edi-
tor. Hammers handsome edition and
Narburton's pretentious one, the
learned DR.. Johnson's contributions 70
the subject. Edward Capells. George
Steevens's and Edmund Malones are
others which should be mentioned
among the great eighteenth century
editions.
IN the nineteenth century division Of
the exhibition special attention IS
drawn 20 "Boswell's Malone" Of 1921;
Singers beautiful little edition. printed
az the Chiswick Press In 1926; the
edition Of Nerplanck. 1Si0, the first
American TO undertake original crit
cal work on the subject; Richard Grant
Whites, and the notable Cambridge
edition of 1868. This portion of the
exhibition closes with the New Narl-
Drum" Of Dr.. Furness, Of Philadelphia
whose first volume appeared IN 1871.
Though most Of these editors are
accessible In later forms, II IS with
great difficulty that first editions OF
tleir works are obtained; and, conse-
cueutly. the importance OF seeing them
collected IN one place cannot be over
estimated
A notable volume shown is the So
called Perkins Folio" Of 1882. beng
the one in which Collier made the
manuscript notes which he sfterward
used IN perpetrating his notorious
forgery. ..
That portion Of the exhibition de-
voted 10 portraits gathers together
probably a larger number than have
ever been collected at one time OF the
portraits engraved from the various
iikenesses which have been claimed 10
be Shakespeare.
The bust r the church at Strsttord
and the Dr0cshOut engraving wnlch
first appcar,f ol the title page OF the
First Folio. i.-3, are the only portraits
Of the poe That have practically the
Endorsement OF his contemporaries.
Many engravings OF both these are
shown in the exhibition, as well as
numerous samples Of all other vary
ing types, the most popular beng me
Chandos portrait. now ~ the Nationa!
Gallery, but which probably. has no
claim 20 authenticity. Altogether
nearly $50 portraits are shown, many
Of them being IN rare states OF the
plates and from notable collections.