Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/309

[ 293 ] Merry Wives of Windor) it had been enlarged to almot twice its original ize.

The Cae is altered, a comedy, attributed to Ben Jonon, and written before the end of the year 1599, contains a paSS undefinedage, which eems to me to have a reference to this play:

Angelo. “ But firt I’ll play the ghost; I’ll call him out .” In the econd act of Hamlet, a contet between the children of the queen’s chapel, and the actors of the etablihed theatres, is alluded to. At what time that contet began, is uncertain. But, hould it appear not to have commenced till ome years after the date here aSS undefinedigned, it would not, I apprehend, be a ufficient reaon for acribing this play to a later period; for, as we are certain that coniderable additions were made to it after its firt production, and have ome authority for attributing the firt ketch of it to 1596, till that authority is haken, we may preume, that any paSS undefinedage which is inconitent with that date, was not in the play originally, but a ubequent inertion.

With repect to the alluion in quetion, it probably was an addition; for it is not found in the quarto of 1604, (which has not the appearance of a mutilated or imperfect copy,) nor did it appear in print till the publication of the folio in 1623.

The ame obervation may be made on the paSS undefinedage produced by Mr. Holt, to prove that this play was not written till after 1597. “ Their inhibition comes by means of the late innovation.” This, indeed, does appear in the quarto of 1604, but, we may preume, was added in the interval be- [T3]