THE PLAYS O F WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. 1 VOLUME THE SIXTH. CONTAINING AS YOU LIKE IT. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. TAMING OF THE SHREW. ORD LIBRARY LONDON: Printed for T. Longman, B. Law and Son, C. Dilly, J. Robfon, J. Johnson, T. Vernor, G. G. J. and J. Robinson, T. Cadell, J. Murray, R. Baldwin, H. L. Gardner, J. Sewell, J. Nicholls, F. and C. Rivington, W. Goldsmith, T. Payne, Jun. S. Hayes, R. Faulder, W. Lowndes, B. and J. White, G. and T. Wilkie, J. and J. Taylor, Scatcherd and Whitaker, T. and J. Egerton, E. Newbery, J. Barker, J. Edwards, Ogilvy and Speare, J. Cuthell, J. Lackington, J. Deighton, and W. Miller. M. DCC. XCIII. AS YOU LIKE IT,] Was certainly borrowed, if we believe Dr. Grey and Mr. Upton, from the Coke's Tale of Gamelyn; which by the way was not printed till a century afterward: when in truth the old bard, who was no hunter of MS. contented himfelf folely with Lodge's Rofalynd, or Euphues' Golden Legacye, 4to. 1590. FARMER. Shakspeare has followed Lodge's novel more exactly than is his general cuftom when he is indebted to fuch worthless originals; and has sketched fome of his principal characters, and borrowed a few expreffions from it. His imitations, &c. however, are in general too infignificant to merit transcription. It should be obferved that the characters of Jaques, the Clown, and Audrey, are entirely of the poet's own formation. Although I have never met with any edition of this comedy before the year 1623, it is evident, that fuch a publication was at leaft defigned. At the beginning of the fecond volume of the entries at Stationers' Hall, are placed two leaves of irregular prohibitions, notes, &c. Among thefe are the following: Aug. 4. "As you Like it, a book. 66 Henry the Fift, a book. Comedy of Much Ado, a book. to be ftaid," The dates fcattered over thefe pages are from 1596 to 1615. This comedy, I believe, was written in 1600. to afcertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, Vol. I. STEEVENS. See An Attempt MALONE. |