Twenty of the plays of Shakespeare
Subtitle: being the whole number printed in quarto during his life-time, or before the Restoration
By: collated where there were different copies, and publish'd from the originals, by George Steevens, Esq., in four volumes
Contributors: Steevens, George, 1736-1800, editor; Payne, Thomas, 1719-1799, bookseller; Richardson, W., printer, bookseller; Barton, Thomas Pennant, 1803-1869, former owner; J. and R. Tonson
Publisher: Printed for J. and R. Tonson, in the Strand; T. Payne, at the Mews-gate, Castle-Street; and W. Richardson, in Fleet-Street
Published: 1766
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Other titles: Shakespeare Collection (Collection of Distinction)
Work titles: Works
Notes: This is the small paper issue, where the text-block is approximately 2.8 cm thick. Twelve copies were also issued on heavy paper, cataloged separately, where the text-block is approximately 4.1 cm thick.

Each volume with a general and volume title page, each play with an individual play title page. The whole set is unpaginated.

Boston Public Library.  Barton collection catalogue, Shakespeare, p. 14, no. 137

ESTC T140378

Jaggard, W.  Shakespeare bibliography, p. 501-502

Cataloged 2015 jmoschella

Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) copy bound in early polished calf panelled in double-ruled gilt. The spines are ruled in gilt with black leather labels. The top edges of all text blocks are gilt. The armorial bookplate of the Barton Library is present on the front pastedowns. Present at the front of volume 1 are three manuscript items: laid onto the verso of the front free endpaper is a slip with binder's instructions. Tipped to the recto of the front flyleaf is a manuscript letter from George Steevens dated Aug. 2, 1780. Bound-in before the title page is a folded sheet with a two-page bibliographic inscription initialed by Thomas Pennant Barton.
Table of contents: title: v. 1. A midsommer nights dreame, 1600 ; A pleasant comedy of the merry wiues of Windsor, 1619 ; The merry wiues of Windsor, 1630 ; Much adoe about nothing, 1600 ; The comicall history of the merchant of Venice, 1600 ; Loues labour's lost, 1631; title: v. 2. The taming of the shrew, 1631 ; The history of King Lear, 1608 ; The troublesome raigne of King Iohn, in two parts, 1611 ; The tragedie of Richard the Second, 1615 ; The historie of Henry the Fourth, 1613 ; The second part of Henry the Fourth, 1600; title: v. 3. The chronicle history of Henry the Fift, 1608 ; The contention of the two famous houses of Lancaster and Yorke, in two parts, (no date) ; The tragedie of Richard the Third, 1612 ; The most lamentable tragedie of Titus Andronicus, 1611 ; The history of Troylus and Cresseida, 1609; title: v. 4. The most excellent tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet, 1597 ; The most lamentable tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet, 1609 ; The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke, 1611 ; The tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice, 1622 ; Shakespeares sonnets and Louers complaint, 1609 ; The history of King Leir and his three daughters, 1605.