The Third Variorum Edition
James Boswell the younger (son of Johnson's biographer) inherited the literary remains of Edmond Malone, and dutifully edited them into what became known as the "third variorum" edition, published in 21 volumes in 1821. It marked the culmination of 18th century Shakespeare scholarship, and the end of a tradition in variorum editions. The following edition, of Samuel Weller Singer in 1826, revolted against the imposing scholarly trappings associated with the variorum editions by minimizing notes and doing away with most comment and, indeed, mostly all scholarly comment. Numerous editions of Shakespeare followed in the nineteenth century, based upon the text here reflected, of the work of the great editors starting with Rowe, proceeding through Theobald to Dr. Johnson, encompassing Steevens, and running through Malone-Boswell, but without reproducing the minute notes and other critical apparatus of this great edition. Therefore, the "third variorum" edited by Boswell became the scholarly standard of the 19th century, and held dominance, in spite of editions by Charles Knight, Alexander Dyce and John Payne Collier (prior to his exposure as a forger), until the Cambridge edition of 1863-1866 superseded it. I present below links to the first three volumes of Boswell's edition (note that he insisted on Malone's name appearing on the title page, and not his own). The first three volumes contain strictly prolegomena, with the plays beginning in the fourth volume. This edition stands as a monument to Malone, to 18th century scholarship in general, and to the modesty and dutiful diligence of James Boswell the younger in particular. Reading the prolegomena herein contained is a full education in the Shakespeare scholarship as it had developed to 1821, and a generally good foundation to all modern scholarship.
The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare, with the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators : Comprehending a Life of the Poet, and an enlarged History of the Stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new Glossarial Index, 1821.
- Volume I
- Advertisement to the Present Edition by Mr. Boswell
- A Biographical Memoir &c. (Boswell's Memoir of Malone)
- General Table of Contents
- Mr. Pope's Preface
- Mr. Theobald's Preface
- Sir Thomas Hanmer's Preface
- Dr. Warburton's Preface
- Dr. Johnson's Preface
- Mr. Steevens's Advertisement, 1766
- Mr. Capell's Introduction
- Mr. Steevens's Advertisement, 1773
- Mr. Reed's Advertisement, 1785
- Mr. Malone's Preface, 1790
- Mr. Steevens's Advertisement, 1793
- Mr. Reed's Advertisement, 1803
- Mr. Steevens's Advertisement, 1803
- Preface to Mr. Richardson's Proposals
- Mr. Richardson's Proposals and Supplement
- Dr. Farmer on the Learning of Shakspeare
- Appendix to Mr. Colman's Translation of Terence
- Ancient Translations from Classic Authors
- List of Detached Pieces of Criticism on Shakspeare, His Editors, &c.
- Shakspeare, Ford and Jonson
- Mr. Rowe's Life of Shakspeare
- Additional Anecdotes
- Commendatory Poems on Shakspeare
- Essay on Phraseology and Metre
- Volume II
- Mr. Malone's Life of Shakspeare, comprehending an Essay on the Chronological Order of His Plays
- Appendix
- Shakspeare's Coat of Arms
- Conveyance from Walker to Shakspeare
- Shakspeare's Mortgage
- Declaration of Trust by Heminge's, &c.
- Shakspeare's Will
- Extracts from Stratford Register
- Entries on the Stationers' Books
- Lists of the Early Editions of Shakspeare
- Dedication of the Players
- Preface of the Players
- Modern Editions
- Plays Ascribed to Shakspeare
- Plays Altered from Shakspeare
- Character of Aubrey, the Antiquary
- Volume III
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