THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA,
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

LONDON: PRINTED BY H. BALDWIN,

For J. Rivington and Sons, L. Davis, B. White and Son, T. Longman,
B. Law, H. S. Woodfall, C. Dilly, J. Robfon, J. Johnson, T.Vernor,
G. G. J. and J. Robinfon, T. Cadell, J. Murray, R. Baldwin,
H. L. Gardner, J. Sewell, J. Nichols, J. Bew, T. Payne, jun.
S. Hayes, R. Faulder, W. Lowndes, G. and T. Wilkie, Scatcherd
and Whitaker, T.and J. Egerton, C. Stalker, J. Barker, J. Edwards,
Ogilvie and Speare, J. Cuthell, J. Lackington, and E. Newbery.

M DCC XC.

THE

'HE drama before the time of Shakspeare was fo little cultivated, or fo ill understood, that to many it may appear unneceffary to carry our theatrical researches higher than that period. Dryden has truly obferved, that he found not, but created firft the ftage;" of which no one can doubt, who confiders, that of all the plays iffued from the prefs antecedent to the year 1592, when there is reafon to believe he commenced a dramatick writer, the titles are fcarcely known, except to antiquaries; nor is there one of them that will bear a fecond perufal. Yet thefe, contemptible and few as they are, we may fuppofe to have been the most popular productions of the time, and the best that had been exhibited before the appearance of Shakspeare'.

There are but thirty-eight plays, (exclufive of myfteries, moralities, interludes, and tranflated pieces,) now extant, written antecedent to, or in, the year 1592. Their titles are as follows:

Acolaftus

Ferrex and Porrex Damon and Pythias Tancred and Gifmund Cambyfes, no date, but probably written before

VOL. I. Part II.

1540 | Appius and Virginieedle}

1561 Gammer Gurton's

1562 Promos and Caffandra
1568 Arraignment of Paris
Sappho and Pbao

1570 Alexander and Campaspe
Misfortunes of Arthur,

1587

B

A minute