Bell's edition of Shakespeare's plays : as they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; regulated from the prompt books of each house : by permission, with notes critical and illustrative / by the authors of the Dramatic censor.
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. author.; Gentleman, Francis, 1728-1784.; Bell, John, 1745-1831, bookseller.; Etherington, Christopher, active 1757-1777, bookseller.; Hall, John, 1739-1797, printmaker.; Byrne, William, 1743-1805, printmaker.; Liart, Matthew, approximately 1736-approximately 1782, printmaker.; Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807, printmaker.; Mazell, Peter, active 1761-1797, printmaker.; Walker, William, 1729-1793, printmaker.; Grignion, Charles, 1721-1810, printmaker.; Basire, James, 1730-1802, printmaker.; Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790, printmaker.; Cook, Thomas, approximately 1744-1818, printmaker.; Dance, Nathaniel, Sir, 1735-1811, illustrator.; Edwards, Edward, 1738-1806, illustrator.; Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807, illustrator.; Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790, illustrator.; Browne, Thomas Beale, d. not before 1774, signer.; Rudge, James, 1785-1852, signer.; Moore, William, active 1785, former owner.; Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England); Covent Garden Theatre.
1774
Items
Details
Title
Bell's edition of Shakespeare's plays : as they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; regulated from the prompt books of each house : by permission, with notes critical and illustrative / by the authors of the Dramatic censor.
Uniform title
Works. 1774. John Bell
Edition
The second edition.
Created/published
London : Printed for John Bell, near Exeter Exchange in the Strand, and C. Etherington, at York, MDCCLXXIIII [1774]
Description
9 v. : ill., ports. (engravings) ; 17 cm (12mo)
Associated name
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. author.
Gentleman, Francis, 1728-1784.
Bell, John, 1745-1831, bookseller.
Etherington, Christopher, active 1757-1777, bookseller.
Hall, John, 1739-1797, printmaker.
Byrne, William, 1743-1805, printmaker.
Liart, Matthew, approximately 1736-approximately 1782, printmaker.
Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807, printmaker.
Mazell, Peter, active 1761-1797, printmaker.
Walker, William, 1729-1793, printmaker.
Grignion, Charles, 1721-1810, printmaker.
Basire, James, 1730-1802, printmaker.
Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790, printmaker.
Cook, Thomas, approximately 1744-1818, printmaker.
Dance, Nathaniel, Sir, 1735-1811, illustrator.
Edwards, Edward, 1738-1806, illustrator.
Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807, illustrator.
Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790, illustrator.
Browne, Thomas Beale, d. not before 1774, signer.
Rudge, James, 1785-1852, signer.
Moore, William, active 1785, former owner.
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England)
Covent Garden Theatre.
Gentleman, Francis, 1728-1784.
Bell, John, 1745-1831, bookseller.
Etherington, Christopher, active 1757-1777, bookseller.
Hall, John, 1739-1797, printmaker.
Byrne, William, 1743-1805, printmaker.
Liart, Matthew, approximately 1736-approximately 1782, printmaker.
Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807, printmaker.
Mazell, Peter, active 1761-1797, printmaker.
Walker, William, 1729-1793, printmaker.
Grignion, Charles, 1721-1810, printmaker.
Basire, James, 1730-1802, printmaker.
Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790, printmaker.
Cook, Thomas, approximately 1744-1818, printmaker.
Dance, Nathaniel, Sir, 1735-1811, illustrator.
Edwards, Edward, 1738-1806, illustrator.
Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807, illustrator.
Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790, illustrator.
Browne, Thomas Beale, d. not before 1774, signer.
Rudge, James, 1785-1852, signer.
Moore, William, active 1785, former owner.
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England)
Covent Garden Theatre.
Note
Edited by Francis Gentleman.
Vol. 1-5 of this 9-v. set exist in three separate settings of type; v. 6-9 of all three are the same setting of type. In this edition, which is on slightly smaller paper (17 compared to 21 cm), v. 1-5 are gathered in 12's, the individual play title pages are dated 1774, with v.2-5 stating "the second edition". Vol. 6-8, and the unnumbered ninth volume containing the poems, are in 12's. The v. title pages (v.1-8), the individual play titles (v.6-8), and the engraved title page for v. [9] are dated 1774. The following signature marks are directly beneath the identified characters (a space is represented by $): v.1. B1 m -- v.2. B4 cted$ -- v.3. B3 rvati -- v.4. B3 of$p -- v.5. B3 tus.$
Plays are paginated and signed continuously except in v. 3, which is signed but not paginated continuously. Plays in v.1-5 were frequently bound out of signature order, often in the order of the volume title-pages.
Engraved illustrations variously lettered by engravers: J. Hall, W. Byrne, M. Liart, Isaac Taylor, P. Mazell, W. Walker, C. Grignion, Js. Basire, I.K. Sherwin, and T. Cook; and artists: N. Dance, E. Edwards, Isaac Taylor, and I.K. Sherwin. Illustrations are dated between 1773-1776.
Not in ESTC; see N474724 and T138849.
Not in Jaggard, W. Shakespeare bibliography; see p. 504.
An Introduction to Shakespeare's plays, dated 1774, in v. 1. Life of Shakespeare in v. 9.
Plays in volumes 1-5 with cast lists. Some plays with bookseller's advertisements.
Vol. title page order: v. 1. As you like it ; Macbeth ; Othello ; All's well that ends well -- v. 2. Merchant of Venice ; Romeo and Juliet ; King Lear ; Cymbeline ; Much ado about nothing -- v. 3. Measure for measure ; King Richard III ; Hamlet ; Tempest ; Merry wives of Windsor -- v. 4. King Henry IV, part 1 ; King John ; Henry V ; King Henry VIII ; King Henry IV, part 2 -- v. 5. Twelfth-night ; Winter's tale ; Julius Caesar ; Coriolanus ; Timon of Athens.
Vol. 1-5 of this 9-v. set exist in three separate settings of type; v. 6-9 of all three are the same setting of type. In this edition, which is on slightly smaller paper (17 compared to 21 cm), v. 1-5 are gathered in 12's, the individual play title pages are dated 1774, with v.2-5 stating "the second edition". Vol. 6-8, and the unnumbered ninth volume containing the poems, are in 12's. The v. title pages (v.1-8), the individual play titles (v.6-8), and the engraved title page for v. [9] are dated 1774. The following signature marks are directly beneath the identified characters (a space is represented by $): v.1. B1 m -- v.2. B4 cted$ -- v.3. B3 rvati -- v.4. B3 of$p -- v.5. B3 tus.$
Plays are paginated and signed continuously except in v. 3, which is signed but not paginated continuously. Plays in v.1-5 were frequently bound out of signature order, often in the order of the volume title-pages.
Engraved illustrations variously lettered by engravers: J. Hall, W. Byrne, M. Liart, Isaac Taylor, P. Mazell, W. Walker, C. Grignion, Js. Basire, I.K. Sherwin, and T. Cook; and artists: N. Dance, E. Edwards, Isaac Taylor, and I.K. Sherwin. Illustrations are dated between 1773-1776.
Not in ESTC; see N474724 and T138849.
Not in Jaggard, W. Shakespeare bibliography; see p. 504.
An Introduction to Shakespeare's plays, dated 1774, in v. 1. Life of Shakespeare in v. 9.
Plays in volumes 1-5 with cast lists. Some plays with bookseller's advertisements.
Vol. title page order: v. 1. As you like it ; Macbeth ; Othello ; All's well that ends well -- v. 2. Merchant of Venice ; Romeo and Juliet ; King Lear ; Cymbeline ; Much ado about nothing -- v. 3. Measure for measure ; King Richard III ; Hamlet ; Tempest ; Merry wives of Windsor -- v. 4. King Henry IV, part 1 ; King John ; Henry V ; King Henry VIII ; King Henry IV, part 2 -- v. 5. Twelfth-night ; Winter's tale ; Julius Caesar ; Coriolanus ; Timon of Athens.
Contents
Signature order: v. 1. Macbeth ; As you like it ; Othello ; All's well that ends well
v. 2. King Lear ; Romeo and Juliet ; Merchant of Venice ; Cymbeline ; Much ado about nothing
v. 3. King Richard III ; Merry wives of Windsor ; Hamlet ; Tempest ; Measure for measure
v. 4. King John ; King Henry IV ; Henry V ; King Henry VIII
v. 5. Julius Caesar ; Timon of Athens ; Winter's tale ; Coriolanus ; Twelfth-night
v. 6. Two gentlemen of Verona ; Taming of the shrew ; Troilus and Cressida ; Antony and Cleopatra
v. 7. King Richard II ; King Henry VI
v. 8. Titus Andronicus ; Comedy of errors ; Midsummer-night's dream ; Love's labour's lost
[v. 9.] Poems written by Shakespear.
v. 2. King Lear ; Romeo and Juliet ; Merchant of Venice ; Cymbeline ; Much ado about nothing
v. 3. King Richard III ; Merry wives of Windsor ; Hamlet ; Tempest ; Measure for measure
v. 4. King John ; King Henry IV ; Henry V ; King Henry VIII
v. 5. Julius Caesar ; Timon of Athens ; Winter's tale ; Coriolanus ; Twelfth-night
v. 6. Two gentlemen of Verona ; Taming of the shrew ; Troilus and Cressida ; Antony and Cleopatra
v. 7. King Richard II ; King Henry VI
v. 8. Titus Andronicus ; Comedy of errors ; Midsummer-night's dream ; Love's labour's lost
[v. 9.] Poems written by Shakespear.
Exhibited
Copy 2. Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2010. Extending the Book.
Cited/described in
Burnim & Highfill. John Bell, p. 10-13
Maslen & Lancaster. Bowyer ledgers, 5024
Maslen & Lancaster. Bowyer ledgers, 5024
Includes
Poems written by Shakespear
Place of creation/publication
Great Britain -- England -- London.
Item Details
Call number
PR2752 1774b copy 2 Sh.Col.
Folger-specific note
Vol. 1 with manuscript quote from Johnson. Autographs, v.1: B. Rudge & [G?]roomhall, Gloucestershire; James Rudge, M.A; v.6: James Rudge, D.D. With a newsprint slip lettered "Rev. Dr. Rudge, Hawkchurch, Axminster" inserted between p. 196-197. Bound in calf with red leather spine labels; v.3 rebacked. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger.
Folger accession
cs55
Call number
PR2752 1774b copy 8 Sh.Col.
Folger-specific note
Imperfect: Tempest only. Quarter cloth binding with marbled paper boards. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger.
Folger accession
cs122
Call number
PR2810 1774 item 1 Sh.Col.
Folger-specific note
Imperfect: King Henry IV, part 1 only. Autograph: William Moore, 1785. Bound first with other Bell's editions of Henry IV, pt. 2, Henry V, Henry VI, and Henry VIII. Bound in speckled calf with red leather spine label.
Folger accession
No case or acc. number present