THE

PLAYS

OF

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE,

ACCURATELY PRINTED

FROM THE TEXT OF THE CORRECTED COPY

LEFT BY THE LATE

GEORGE STEEVENS, Esq.

WITH GLOSSARIAL NOTES.

A New Edition.

IN TEN VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

THE TEMPEST.

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

TWELFTH-NIGHT: OR, WHAT YOU WILL.

LONDON:

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1944-4

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE text of this edition of Shakespeare's Plays is carefully printed from the copy left corrected for the press by the late George Steevens, Esq. and printed in twenty-one volumes, octavo. Mr. Rowe's Account of the Life and Writings of Shakespeare is prefixed; and also Dr. Johnson's celebrated Preface to his edition of Shakespeare, printed in 1765.

At the end of each Play are preserved Dr. Johnson's short Strictures in his own words, " containing a general censure of faults, or praise of excellence." All obsolete words, or obscure sentiments, are attempted to be explained by a glossary, or by a note, as concise as possible, at the bottom of every page; which will render the mines of this inexhaustible Author more easily explored by general readers, for whose use in particular this edition is designed.

W. H.

3925
1823

SOME

ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE, &c.

OF

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

WRITTEN BY MR. ROWE.

Іт seems to be a kind of respect due to the memory of excellent men, especially of those whom their wit and learning have made famous, to deliver some account of themselves, as well as their works, to posterity. For this reason, how fond do we see some people of discovering any little personal story of the great men of antiquity! their families, the common accidents of their lives, and even their shape, make, and features, have been the subject of critical inquiries. How triffing soever this curiosity may seem to be, it is certainly very natural; and we are hardly satisfied with an account of any remarkable person, till we have heard him described even to the very clothes he wears. As for what relates to men of letters, the knowledge of an author may sometimes conduce to the better understanding his book; and though the works of Mr. Shakspeare may seem to many not to want a comment, yet I fancy some little account of the man himself may not be thought improper to go along with them.