43 SHAKSPERE QUARTO FACSIMILES, With Introductions, Line Numbers, &c., by Shakspere Scholars, Issued under the superintendence of Dr. F. J. Furnivall. iii. NOTICE. THE greater part of Mr. Griggs's stock of the Facsimile of The Merry Wives of Windsor having been consumed in the fire which destroyed his premises in June, 1883, a reprint has been found necessary to complete sets of this series of Quarto Facsimiles. Advantage has been taken of this circumstance to remedy the defects found in the facsimile as first issued in 1881; defects originating in the imperfections of the original copy of the Q from which the facsimile was made. For this purpose Mr. Henry Huth has most generously allowed his beautiful copy of the Q to be photographed, and the text of the facsimile produced from it has been examined by the Editor, who now makes himself responsible for its correctness; a duty which, owing to his absence from England, he was unable to undertake when the first edition passed through the press. His Introduction is reprinted very nearly in the same form in which it stood in the first issue; some slight corrections have of course been made; but nothing has been introduced or withdrawn which could in any way affect the conclusions to which he had then arrived and to which he still adheres. Mr. Griggs will supply copies of this revised work to all subscribers, and would be glad to receive in exchange all copies of the first issue. Nov. 1888. iv. CONTENTS OF INTRODUCTION. § 1. The Quarto editions of the Play. p. v. § 2. Q1 and F1 both from one Original. p. vi. § 3. Objections to this View considered. p. vii. § 4. The true Origin of Q1: it is a badly reported version of its Original § 5. F1 is also a shortened Version. Q1 and F1 help to complete each § 6. The confusion of Time in Falstaff's meetings with Mrs. Ford. p. xi, § 9. The Tradition of Shakespeare's Deer-stealing, and his Ridicule of Sir The probable Date of the Play is Christmas 1599. p. xvii. § 10. The supposed later Allusions in the Plays shown to have no Value, § 11. The Table on p. xx of Characters present in the several Scenes of § 12. This Facsimile: its Line-numbers and Marks. p. xix. V THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. QUARTO (1) 1602. § 1. THE earliest notice we have of this play occurs in the books of the Stationers' Company, under date 18th January, 1601-2: JOHN BUSBY.] Entred for his copie vnder the hand of master Seton A booke called An excellent and pleasant conceited commedie of Sir JOHN FFAULSTOF, and the merry wyves of Windesor. ARTHURE JOHNSON.] Entred for his Copye by assignment from JOHN BUSBYE A booke called an excellent and pleasant conceyted Comedie of Sir JOHN FFAULSTAFE and the mery wyves of Windsor. In this same year the Q edition of the play, which is here reproduced in facsimile, was published by Johnson. A second edition (Q 2), a mere reprint of the first, was issued in 1619, with the following considerably modified title-page :— "A most pleasant and excellent Comedy, of Sir John Falstaffe, and the merry wives of Windsor with the swaggering vaine of Ancient Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. Written by W. Shakespeare. Printed for Arthur Johnson. 1619." QI was reprinted in 1842 for the Shakespeare Society, edited by Mr. Halliwell, with Introduction, Notes, &c. A facsimile of it, done by hand, was also produced by Mr. Ashbee under Mr. Halliwell's direction in 1866. It is also reprinted in Vol. i. of the Cambridge Edition of Shakespeare's Works, edited by Messrs. Clark and Glover, with a collation of Q 2 and of Mr. Halliwell's reprint of Q I and with a division of the play into 17 consecutive scenes : it should have been 18, as in this Facsimile, but by an oversight two scenes were included under No. xii. Mr. W. C. Hazlitt also gives Q1 in his edition of Shakespeare's Library, 1875, Part II. Vol. ii.; reprinting for this purpose Mr. Halliwell's edition of 1842, his Introduction, notes, &c. |
