18th-century editions

Eighteenth-century editions of Shakespeare at Senate House Library

A comprehensive list of collected works, single plays, adaptations and works of criticism held at Senate House Library

Collected Works
Date Editor Title
1709 Nicholas Rowe The works of Mr. William Shakespear in six volumes: adorn'd with cuts.
1710 A Collection of Poems, in Two Volumes: Being all the Miscellanies of Mr. William Shakespeare, Which Were Publish’d by Himself in the Year 1609 and Now Correctly Printed from Those Editions.
1725 Alexander Pope The works of Shakespear in six volumes, collated and corrected by the former editions.
1725 George Sewell The Works of Mr. William Shakespear. The Seventh Volume, Containing Venus and Adonis, Tarquin and Lucrece and Mr.Shakespear’s Miscellany Poems: to which is Prefix’d, an Essay on the Art, Rise, and Progress of the Stage in Greece, Rome, and England and a Glossary of the Old Words Us’d in These Works
1728 Alexander Pope The Works of Mr. William Shakespear: In Ten Volumes.
1733 Lewis Theobald The Works of Shakespeare in Seven Volumes
1740 Lewis Theobald The Works of Shakespeare: In Eight Volumes. Collated with the Oldest Copies, and Corrected
1744 Thomas Hanmer The works of Shakespear: in six volumes, carefully revised and corrected by the former editions, and adorned with sculptures designed and executed by the best hands.
1745 Thomas Hanmer The works of Shakespear: in six volumes.
1747 Alexander Pope and William Warburton The works of Shakespear in eight volumes: The Genuine Text (collated with All the Former Editions, and Then Corrected and Emended) Is Here Settled
1747 Alexander Pope and William Warburton The works of Shakespear in eight volumes: Is Here Settled: Being Restored from the Blunders of the First Editors, and the Interpolations of the Two Last: With a Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory
1748 The Works of Mr. William Shakespear. Volume the Second, Containing Measure for Measure ; The Comedy of Errors ; Much Ado about Nothing ; The Merchant of Venice ; Love’s Labour Lost
1752 William Dodd The Beauties of Shakespear: Regularly Selected from Each Play, with a General Index, Digesting Them under Proper Heads ; Illustrated with Explanatory Notes, and Similar Passages from Ancient and Modern Authors
1752 Lewis Theobald The Works of Shakespeare: In Eight Volumes.
1765 Samuel Johnson The Plays of William Shakespeare: In Eight Volumes, With the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators
1766 George Steevens Twenty of the Plays of Shakespeare: Being the Whole Number Printed in Quarto during Hhis Life-Time, or before the Restoration
1766 Alexander Pope The Works of Shakespear.: In Eight Volume
1767 Edward Capell Mr. William Shakespeare: His Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies
1768 Samuel Johnson The Plays of William Shakespeare: In Eight Volumes, With the Correction and Illustrations of Various Commentator
1771 Samuel Johnson The Plays of Shakespeare, from the Text of Dr. S. Johnson: With the Prefaces, Notes, &c. of Rowe, Pope, Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, Johnson, and Select Notes from Many Other Critics ; Also, the Introduction of the Last Editor Mr. Capell and a Table Shewing His Various Reading
1771 Thomas Hanmer The Works of Shakespear: In Six Volumes
1773 Samuel Johnson The Plays of William Shakespeare: In Ten Volumes: With the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators
1774 Samuel Johnson 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
1778 Compilation variously ascribed to Sir Henry Bate Dudley, Lady Mary Dudley, Elizabeth Berkeley Craven, and Cutts Barton. Modern Characters for 1778
1780 Edmond Malone Supplement to the Edition of Shakspeare’s Plays Published in 1778 by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens.: In Two Volumes: Containing Additional Observations by Several Of the Former Commentators: To Which Are Subjoined the Genuine Poems of the Same Author, and Seven Plays That Have Been Ascribed to Him; with Notes by the Editor and Others
1784 Stockdale’s Edition of Shakespeare: Including, in One Volume, the Whole of his Dramatic Works with Explanatory Notes Compiled from Various Commentators
1785 Isaac Reed, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens The Plays of William Shakspeare: In Ten Volumes
1786 Joseph Rann The Dramatic Works of Shakspeare: In Six Volumes
1788 Bell’s Edition of Shakspere.
1790 Samuel Ayscough Shakspeare's dramatic works: with explanatory notes.
1790 Edmond Malone The Plays and Poems of William Shakespeare: In Ten Volumes: Collated Verbatim with the Most Authentick Copies, and Revised, with the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentator
1792 The Dramatick Works of William Shakespear: Printed Complete from the Best Editions of Samuel Johnson, George Stevens [sic] and Malone ; to Which Is Prefixed the Life of the Author
1793 Samuel Johnson The Plays of William Shakspeare: In Fifteen Volumes
1797 The works of William Shakspeare containing his plays and poems … in seven volumes.
Single Plays
Date Play
1720 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Tragedy
1723 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Tragedy, as it is Now Acted by His Majesty’s Servants
1732 The Life of Henry VIII
1734 All’s Well That Ends Well: A Comedy
1734 Cymbeline: A Tragedy
1734 Antony and Cleopatra: A Tragedy
1734 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Tragedy, as it is Now Acted by His Majesty’s Servants
1734 Julius Caesar.: A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. By His Majesty’s Servants
1734 Julius Cæsar.: A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the TheatreRoyal in Drury-Lane. By His Majesty’s Servants. By Mr. William Shakespear.
1734 Measure for Measure
1734 Pericles, Prince of Tyre
1734 The Comedy of Errors
1734 The Life and Death of King Lear
1734 The Merchant of Venice
1734 The Second Part of Henry IV: Containing His Death and the Coronation of King Henry V
1734 The Third Part of Henry the Sixth: With the Death of the Duke of York
1734 The Tragedy of Macbeth
1734 The Two Gentlemen of Verona
1734 Timon of Athens: A Tragedy
1734 Titus Andronicus
1747 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Tragedy: As it is Now Acted by His Majesty’s Servants
1750 Much Ado about Nothing
1751 Othello, the Moor of Venice: A Tragedy
1763 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Tragedy: As it is Now Acted at the Theatres Royal, in Drury-Lane, and Covent-Garden
1773 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Tragedy
1773 Macbeth: A Tragedy
1774 Julius Caesar: A Tragedy
1777 As You like It: A Comedy: As it is Acted at the Theatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1777 The Merchant of Venice: A Comedy: As it is Acted at theTheatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1778 A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Comedy: As it is Acted at the Theatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1778 All’s Well That Ends Well: A Comedy: As it is Acted at the Theatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1778 The Merry Wives of Windsor: A Comedy, as it is Acted at the Theatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1779 The Comedy of Errors: As it is Acted at the Theatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1779 Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will.: A Comedy_; as it is Acted at the Theatres-Royal in Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden
1784 The Life and Death of King John: A Tragedy
1785 Macbeth: A Tragedy
1785 The First Part of Henry IV: A Tragedy
1787 The Merchant of Venice: A Comedy: Taken from the Manager’s Book at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden
1798 The Poems of William Shakspeare: Viz. Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, Sonnets, The Passionate Pilgrim and The Lover’s Complaint: With Mr. Capell’s History of the Origin of Shakspeare’s Fables: To Which Is Added a Glossary
Translations
Date Translator Title
1769 Frankfurt and Leipzig: Dodsley Othello: ein Trauerspiel in Fünf Aufzügen
1777 Hamburg: Heroldsche Buchhandlung, Hamlet, Prinz von Dännemark: ein Trauerspiel in 6 Aufzügen: zum Behuf des Hamburgischen Theaters
1778 Johann Joachim Eschenburg, neue Aufl. Schauspiele, Sammlung der Poetischen und prosaischen Schriften des Willhelm Shakespear
1778 Te Amsteldam: by Albrecht Borchers William Shakespear’s tooneelspelen: met de bronwellen, en aantekeningen van verscheide beroemde schryveren
1778 Hamburg: Herold Hamlet, Prinz von Dännemark: ein Trauerspiel in sechs Aufzügen, 2. Aufl.
1786 Göttingen: J.C. Dieterich Die lustigen Weiber zu Windsor: ein Lustspiel von Shakespear
1795 Berlin: Voss Hamlet, Prinz von Dänemark: Trauerspiel in sechs Aufzügen, trans. Friedrich Ludwig Schröder, 3., genau durchgesehene Aufl.
1797 Berlin: J.F. Unger Julius Cäsar ; Was ihr wollt, trans. August Wilhelm von Schlegel, Shakspeare’s dramatische Werke, Th. 2
Adaptations
Date Adaptor Title
1712 Tate, Nahum The History of King Lear,: Acted at the Queens Theatre.: Revived with Alterations
1728 Theobald, Lewis. Also attributed to John Fletcher, and James Shirley. Double Falshood, Or, The Distrest Lovers: A Play, as it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, 2nd edn
1752 ed. by David Garrick and R. Tonson and S. Draper Romeo and Juliet. With alterations, and an additional scene: as it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane
1752 ed. by David Garrick Romeo and Juliet. With alterations, and an additional scene: as it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane
1752 ed. by David Garrick Romeo and Juliet. With alterations, and an additional scene: as it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane
1753 The Tragical History of King Richard III.: As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane
1759 Hawkins, William Cymbeline: A Tragedy, Altered from Shakespeare: As it is Perform’d at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden
1787 Cibber, Colley Richard the Third: A Tragedy: Taken from the Manager’s Book, at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden
1789 John Philip Kemble Shakespeare, William, King Henry V, Or, The Conquest of France: A Tragedy
1789 Sheridan, Thomas. Also attributed to John Philip Kemble Coriolanus; Or, The Roman Matron.: A Tragedy.: Altered from Shakespeare.: Printed Exactly Conformable to the Representation at the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane.: With the Order of the Ovation. By Permission of the Managers, under the Insepection [sic] of James Wrighten, Prompter
Criticism
Date Author Title
1787 Beckett, Andrew, A Concordance to Shakespeare: Suited to All the Editions, in Which the Distinguished and Parallel Passages in the Plays of That Justly Admired Writer Are Methodically Arranged. To Which Are Added, Three Hundred Notes and Illustrations, Entirely New
1726 Theobald, Lewis, Shakespeare Restored, Or, A Specimen of Many Errors, as Well Commited, and Unamended, by Mr. Pope in His Late Edition of This Poet: Designed Not Only to Correct the Said Edition, but to Restore the True Reading of Shakespeare in All the Editions Ever yet Publish’d
1726 Shakespeare Restored, Or, A Specimen of Many Errors, as Well Commited, and Unamended, by Mr. Pope in His Late Edition of This Poet: Designed Not Only to Correct the Said Edition, but to Restore the True Reading of Shakespeare in All the Editions Ever yet Publish’d
1746 Upton, John, Critical Observations on Shakespeare
1748 Critical Observations on Shakespeare, The second edition, with alterations and additions
1754 Grey, Zachary Critical, Historical, and Explanatory Notes on Shakespeare: With Emendations of the Text and Metre
1758 Edwards, Thomas, The Canons of Criticism and Glossary: The Trial of the Letter , Alias Y, and Sonnets
1758 Edwards, Thomas, and C. C. Western, The Canons of Criticism, and Glossary: Being a Supplement to Mr. Warburton’s Edition of Shakespear: Collected from the Notes in That Celebrated Work,and Proper to Be Bound up with It, The sixth edition, with additions
1765 Heath, Benjamin, A Revisal of Shakespear’s Text: Wherein the Alterations Introduced into It by the More Modern Editors and Critics,are Particularly Considered
1769 Carey, George Saville, Shakespeare’s Jubilee: A Masque
1769 Garrick, David, An Ode upon Dedicating a Building and Erecting a Statue toShakespeare, at Stratford upon Avon
1769 An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets: With Some Remarks upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. de Voltaire
1769 An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear: Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets: With Some Remarks upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. de Voltaire
1770 Montagu, Elizabeth Robinson, An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear,: Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets. With Some Remarks upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. de Voltaire, The second edition
1770 Montagu, Elizabeth Robinson, An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear, Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets: With Some Remarks upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. de Voltaire, The second edition
1771 Montagu, Elizabeth Robinson, Versuch über Shakespears Genie und Schriften in Vergleichung mit den dramatischen Dichtern der Griechen und Franzosen, trans. Johann Joachim Eschenburg
1774 Richardson, William, A Philosophical Analysis and Illustration of Some of Shakespeare’s Remarkable Characters
1775 Griffith, Elizabeth, The Morality of Shakespeare’s Drama Illustrated
1776 Lettre de Mr. de Voltaire à l’Académie Française: Lue Dans Cette Académie à La Solemnité de La St. Louis Le 23 Auguste 1776
1777 Collins, John, A Letter to George Hardinge, Esq. on the Subject of a Passage in Mr Stevens’s Preface to His Impression of Shakespeare
1777 Griffith, Elizabeth, The Morality of Shakespeare’s Drama Illustrated: In Two Volumes
1777 Morgann, Maurice, An Essay on the Dramatic Character of Sir John Falstaff
1777 Voltaire, A Letter from M. Voltaire to the French Academy: Containing an Appeal to That Society on the Merits of the English Dramatic Poet Shakespeare: Read before the Academy on the Day of St. Louis, MDCCLXXVI
1783 Ritson, Joseph, Remarks, Critical and Illustrative, on the Text and Notes of the Last Edition of Shakspeare
1783 Remarks, Critical and Illustrative, on the Text and Notes of the Last Edition of Shakspeare
1784 A Philosophical Analysis and Illustration of Some of Shakespeare’s Remarkable Characters, The third edition, corrected
1784 Essays on Shakespeare’s Dramatic Characters of Richard the Third, King Lear, and Timon of Athens: To Which Are Added, an Essay on the Faults of Shakespeare, and Additional Observations on the Character of Hamlet
1785 Davies, Thomas, Dramatic Miscellanies: Consisting of Critical Observations on Several Plays of Shakspeare: With a Review of His Principal Characters, and Those of Various Eminent Writers, as Represented by Mr. Garrick, and Other Celebrated Comedians: With Anecdotes of Dramatic Poets, Actors, &c, A new edition
1785 Mason, John Monck, Comments on the Last Edition of Shakespeare’s Plays
1785 An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear, Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets: With Some Remarks upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. de Voltaire, The fifth edition, corrected. To which are added, three dialogues of the dead
1788 Gentleman, Francis, Prolegomena to the Dramatick Writings of Will. Shakspere
1788 Ritson, Joseph, The Quip Modest: A Few Words by Way of Supplement to Remarks, Critical and Illustrative, on the Text and Notes of the Last Edition of Shakspeare: Occasioned by a Republication of That Edition, Revised and Augmented by the Editor of Dodsleys Old Plays, State A
1789 Essays on Shakespeare’s Dramatic Character of Sir John Falstaff and on His Imitation of Female Characters_;: To Which Are Added, Some General Observations on the Study of Shakespeare
1789 Essays on Shakespeare’s Dramatic Character of Sir John Falstaff and on His Imitation of Female Characters_;: To Which Are Added, Some General Observations on the Study of Shakespeare
1792 Malone, Edmond, A Letter to the Rev. Richard Farmer D.D., Master of Emanuel College, Cambridge, Relative to the Edition of Shakspeare Published in MDCCXC, and Some Late Criticisms on That Work
1792 A Letter to the Rev. Richard Farmer, D.D. Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Relative to the Edition of Shakspeare, Published in MDCCXC, and Some Late Criticisms on That Work, The second edition
1794 Whiter, Walter, A Specimen of a Commentary on Shakspeare: Containing I. Notes on As You like It. II. An Attempt to Explain and Illustrate Various Passages, on a New Principle of Criticism, Derived from Mr. Locke’s Doctrine of the Association of Ideas
1794 A Specimen of a Commentary on Shakspeare: Containing I. Notes on As You like It. II. An Attempt to Explain and Illustrate Various Passages, on a New Principle of Criticism, Derived from Mr. Locke’s Doctrine of the Association of Ideas
1796 Ireland, W. H., An Authentic Account of the Shaksperian Manuscripts, &c
1796 Ireland, W. H., Miscellaneous Papers and Legal Instruments under the Hand and Seal of William Shakspeare: Including the Tragedy of King Lear and a Small Fragment of Hamlet, from the Original MSS. in the Possession of Samuel Ireland
1796 Waldron, F. G. Free Reflections on Miscellaneous Papers and Legal Instruments, under the Hand and Seal of William Shakspeare,in the Possession of Samuel Ireland, of Norfolk-Street. Towhich Are Added, Extracts from an Unpublished MS. Play, Called The Virgin Queen. Written By, or in Imitation Of, Shakspeare
1796 Free Reflections on Miscellaneous Papers and Legal Instruments, under the Hand and Seal of William Shakspeare,in the Possession of Samuel Ireland, of Norfolk-Street. Towhich Are Added, Extracts from an Unpublished MS. Play, Called The Virgin Queen. Written By, or in Imitation Of, Shakspeare
1796 White, James, Original Letters, Etc. of Sir John Falstaff and His Friends: Now First Made Public by a Gentleman, a Descendant of Dame Quickly, from Genuine Manuscripts Whichhave Been in the Possession of the Quickly Family near Four Hundred Years
1797 Essays on Some of Shakespeare’s Dramatic Characters: To which is Added an Essay on the Faults of Shakespeare, The fifth edition
1798 Essays on Some of Shakespeare’s Dramatic Characters: To Which Is Added, an Essay on the Faults of Shakespeare, The fifth edition
1800 Chalmers, George, An Appendix to The Supplemental Apology for the Believers in the Supposititious Shakspeare-Papers: Being the Documents for the Opinion That Hugh McAuley Boyd Wrote Junius’s Letters

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