Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/87

Rh If it is not to be expected that each vitiated paage in Shakepeare can be retored, till a greater latitude of experiment hall be allowed; o neither can it be uppoed that the force of all his alluions will be pointed out, till uch books are thoroughly examined, as cannot eaily at preent be collected, if at all. Several of the mot correct lits of our dramatic pieces exhibit the titles of plays, which are not to be met with in the completet collections. It is almot unneceary to mention any other than Mr. Garrick’s, which, curious and extenive as it is, derives its greatet value from its acceibility There is reaon to think that about the time of the Reformation, great numbers of plays were printed, though few of that age are now to be found; for part of queen Elizabeth’s in 1559, are particularly directed to the uppreing of “Many pamphlets,, and ballads: that no manner of peron hall enterprize to print any uch, &c. but under certain retrictions.” Vid. Sect. V. This obervation is taken from Dr. Percy’s Additions to his Eay on the Origin of the Englih Stage. It appears likewie from a page at the concluion of the econd vol. of the entries belonging to the Stationers’ company, that in the 41t year of queen Elizabeth, many new retraints on bookellers were laid. Among thee are the following, “That no plaies be printed excepte they bee allowed by uch as have auctoritye.” The records of the Stationers however contain the entries of ome which have never yet been met with by the mot uccesul collectors; nor are their titles to be found in any regiters of the tage, whether ancient or modern. It hould eem from the ame volumes that it was cutomary for the Stationers to eize the whole impreion of any work that had given offence, and burn it publickly at their hall, in obedience to the edicts of the archbihop of Canterbury, and the bihop of London, who ometimes enjoyed thee literary executions at their repective palaces. Among other works condemned to the flames by thee dicerning prelates, were the complete atires of bihop Hall. Mr. Theobald, at the concluion of the preface to his firt edition of Shakepeare, aerts, that excluive of the dramas of Ben Jonon, and B. and Fletcher, he had read “above 800 of old Englih plays.” He omitted this aertion, however, on the.