I fear I have already trefpaffed too much on the reader's patience in the notes on that play, and the obfervations annexed at the end of it; and will therefore only add, I am fo thoroughly convinced that, if not the whole, at least the greater part of that drama was written by our author, that I hope it will be admitted into fome future edition of his works, in the room of Titus Andronicus, of which I do not believe a fingle line to have been the compofition of Shakspeare.

I cannot conclude this Advertisement without expreffing my warmeft acknowledgments to the Dean of Carlisle, the reverend Dr. Farmer, the reverend Mr. Henley, Mr. Tyrwhitt, Mr. Steevens, and the other gentlemen, whofe valuable communications form fo confiderable a part of the enfuing volumes. To the friendship of Mr. Steevens I am indebted, not only for the numerous obfervations that are subfcribed with his name, but also for many judicious hints for the conduct of the prefent work, by which (though ftill, I fear, in need of the reader's utmost indulgence,) it has been rendered lefs exceptionable than it otherwife would have been.

E. MALONE.

13 Note h, 1. 6, for reprefention r. reprefentation.

41 1. 6, for boy r. toy.

42 1. penult. for either or either on. 57. 10, for A&tors r. Actor.

59 l. 13, for words r. verles.

63 1. 7, for cetrainly r. certainly.

65 1.4 from the bottom, for perfomer r. performer.

136 1. 3, for By captious believe r. By captious I believe.

178 1.3 from the bottom, for lord of Cobham, r. lord Cobham. 1841. 15, for AMNER T. WHITE.

191 1. 7, for AMNER r. WHITE.

208 1. 18, after events add MALONE. 122 1. 20, for Akinfide's r. Akenfide's.

263 1. antepenult. after gueft add MALONE.

436 note 9, 1. 5, for devining r. divining.

490 1. 15, for night-wandring r. night-wand'ring. 492 note 5, for checkea r. checked.

517 note 1, l. 11, for strife's r. strifes.

570 note 3, l. 7, for quicksilker r. quickfilver.

579 1.11 from the bottom, for one hundred and twenty r. one hundred and twenty-fix.

VOL. II.

14 Stage direction, for The Riddle r. reads the Riddle.

21 l. 2, for Exit r. Exeunt.

37. 11, dele the comma after ships.

50 l. 8, for di'e take it r. do ye take it.

53 1.7, for dulcura r. dulçura.

60 1.6 from the bottom, for Pyrricke r. Pyrrichia.

74 1.8, for deafning r. deaf'ning.

951. 5, for mone r. moan.

98 1. 5, for enflame r. inflame.

160 1. 16 from the bottom, for five feet metre r. five-feet metre. 169 1. 37, for flighted r flightest.

191 note, for Vesta r. Velta.

341 1. penult. for whethet r. whether,

347 1.4 from the bottom, for person r. parfon.

372 Lift of Perfons reprefented, for hangman executioner.

381 note 4, for I often heard r, I have often heard.

401 and 407, note 9, for Bolognia r. Bologna.

449 1. penult. for first r. fecond.

476 1. 1, for youfrelf r. yourself.

536 L. 1, for outshind en r. outshin'd 'em.

563 note 4, 1.4, for pronounciation r. pronunciation,

631 l. 14 and 16, før 1604 r. 1605.

Ibid. 1. 14, for following r. fame.

DIRECTIONS to the BINDER.

Shakspeare's Houfe to face the title-page to Vol. I. The Head of Lord Southampton to front p. 401, Vol. I. When thefe Books are fewed and put in boards, it is defired that they may not be beaten; and it is recommended not to bind them till next winter.

After Mr. Steevens's note at the bottom of p. 85, the following imperfect account of our ancient theatres may be added.

PROLEGO

In the preceding page the antiquarian has been gratified VOL. I. with a view of the Globe Play-houfe. It may not be wholly unamuling to examine the infide of the building, and to ex- MENA. hibit as accurate a delineation of the internal form and conomy of our ancient theatres, as the distance at which we ftand, and the obfcurity of the subject, will permit.

The drama, before the time of Shakspeare, was fo little cultivated, or fo ill understood, that it is unneceffary to carry our researches higher than that period. Dryden has truly obferved, that he found not, but created firft the ftage" of which no one can doubt, who confiders, that of all the plays iffued from the prefs antecedent to the year 1592, when there is good reason to believe he commenced a dramatick writer, the titles are fcarcely known, except to antiquarians; nor is there one of them that will bear a fecond perufal. Yet thefe, contemptible and few as they are, we may fuppofe to have been the most popular productions of the time, and the best that had been exhibited before the appearance of Shakspeare 2.

NOTE.

The

There are but thirty four plays (exclufive of myfteries, moralities, interludes, and tranflations) now extant, written antecedent to, or in the year 1592. Their titles are as follow:

VOL. I.

B

Acolaftus

VOL. I.

PROLEGO-
MENA.

The most ancient English play-houfes of which I have met any accounts, are the Curtain in Shore-ditch, and the Theatre b.

1589 Tancred and Gifmund

King Henry V. in or before 1589 Arden of Feverfbam

King Fobu, in two parts } 1591

Between the years 1592 and 1600, the following plays were printed or exhibited, fome of which, probably, were written before our author commenced play-wright.