Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/305

[ 289 ] ginally appeared, and its very early publication, all incline me to believe that this Was Shakpeare’s firt tragedy; for the three parts of K. Henry VI. do not pretend to that title. “ A new ballad of Romeo and Juliet,” (perhaps our author’s play) was entered on the Stationers’ books Augut 5, 1596 ; and the firt ketch of the play was printed in 1597; but it did not appear in its preent form till two years afterwards. Few of his plays appear to have been entered at Stationers’ hall, till they had been ome time in poSS undefinedeSS undefinedion of the tage; on which account it may be conjectured that this tragedy was written in 1595. If the following paSS undefinedage in an old comedy already mentioned, entitled Dr. Dodipoll, which had appeared before 1596, be conidered as an imitation, it may add ome weight to the uppoitton that Romeo and Juliet had been exhibited before that year: “ The glorious parts of fair Lucilia, “ Take them and join them in the heavenly pheres, “ And fix them there as an eternal light “ For lovers to adore and wonder at.” Dr. Dodipoll.