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wooing, with a clown to their serving-man, better than be thus near and familiarly allied to the time *.

I doubt, however, whether Jonson had here Twelfth Night in contemplation. If an allusion to this comedy were intended, it would ascertain it to have been written before 1599, when Every Man out of his Humour was first acted. But Meres does not mention Twelfth Night in 1598; nor is there any reason to believe that it then existed.

IF the dates here assigned to our author's plays should not, in every instance, carry with them conviction of their propriety, let it be remembered, that this is a subject on which conviction cannot at this day be obtained; and that the observations, now submitted to the publick, do not pretend to any higher title than that of "An ATTEMPT to ascertain the chronology of the dramas of Shakspere."

Should the errors and deficiencies of this essay invite others to deeper and more successful researches, the end proposed by it will be attained: and he who offers the present arrangement of Shakspere's dramas will be happy to transfer the slender portion of credit that may result from the novelty of his undertaking, to some future claimant, who may be supplied with ampler materials, and endued with a superior degree of antiquarian sagacity.

* See the first note on Twelfth Night, A& I. Sc. i.

Το

To some, he is not unapprized, this inquiry will appear a tedious and barren speculation. But there are many, it is hoped, who think nothing that relates to the brightest ornament of the English nation, wholly uninteresting; who will be gratified by observing, how the genius of our great poet gradually expanded itself, till, like his own Ariel, it flamed amazement in every quarter, blazing forth with a lustre that has not hitherto been equalled, and perhaps will never be surpassed,

MALONE.

A LIST

A LIST

O F

ANCIENT TRANSLATIONS

FROM

CLASSICK AUTHORS.

HOMER.

TEN Bookes of the Iliades into English out of French, by ARTHUR HALL, Esq. London, imprinted by Ralph Newberie, 4to*

1581 The Shield of Achilles, from the 18th Book of Homer, by GEORGE CHAPMAN, 4to. London

1596

* In the first volume of the books of entries belonging to the Stationers-Company is the following:

"Henry Bynneman.] Nov. 1580, lycensed unto him under the wardens' hands tenne bookes of the Iliades of Homer." Again, Nov. 14, 1608, "Seven bookes of Homer's Iliades translated into English by Geo. Chapman." Again, April 8, 1611, "A booke called Homer's Iliades in Englishe, containing 24 Bookes." Again, Nov. 2, 1614, Homer's Odisses, 24 bookes, translated by George Chapman."

Seven Books of the Iliades, by ditto, 4to*. Lond. 1596 Ditto

Fifteen Books of Ditto, thin folio

1598 1600

The whole Works of Homer, by ditto, printed for Nath. Butter. An anonymous correspondent informs me that he has in his possession "a volume containing twelve Books of the Iliad by Chapman; and after them some Sonnets; but the title-page is so mutilated, that neither the date nor printer's name remain"

no date.

no date +.

The Crowne of all Homer's Works, Batrachomymachia, &c. thin folio, printed by John Bill The Strange, Wonderfull, and Bloudy Battell between Frogs and Mise; paraphrastically done into English Heroycall Verse, by W. F. (i. e. WILLIAM FOWLDES) 4to. 1603

HESIOD.

The Georgics of Hesiod, by G. CHAPMAN, 4to. 1618

MUSEUS.

Marloe's Hero and Leander, with the first Book of Lucan, 4to.

1600

* Meres, in his Second part of Wit's Commonwealth, 1598, says, that Chapman is "of good note for his inchoate

Homer."

In the first volume of the entries of the StationersCompany is the following:

66

T. Purfoote.] The Battell of the Frogges and Myce, and certain orations of Isocrates. Jan. 4th, 1579."

There

There must have been a former Edition*, as a second Part was published by Henry Petowe 1598 Musaus's Poem of Hero and Leander, imitated by CHRISTOPHER MARLOW, and finished by GEORGE CHAPMAN, 8vo. London

1606

EURIPIDES.

Jocasta, a Tragedy, from the Phoenissa of Euripides, by GEORGE GASCOIGNE, and Mr. FRANCIS KINWELMERSHE, 4to. London

1556

*This translation, or at least Marlow's part in it, must have been published before 1599, being twice mentioned in Nash's Lenten Stuff, &c. which bears that date. "Leander and Hero, of whom divine Musaus sung, and a diviner muse than him, Kit Marlow," Again, "She sprung after him, and so resigned up her priesthood, and left worke for Musaus and Kit Marlow."

Among the entries at Stationers-Hall I find the following made by John Wolfe in 1593, Sept. 8th, "A booke entitled Hero and Leander, being an amorous poem devised by Christopher Marlow."

At the same time, "Lucan's first booke of the famous Cyvill Warr betwixt Pompey and Cæsar. Englished by Christopher Marlow."

Again, in 1597, "A booke in English called Hero and

Leander."

Again, April 1598, "The seconde Part of Hero and Leander, by Henry Petowe." Andrew Harris entered it. Again, in 1600,"Hero and Leander by Marlowe." In 1614 an entire translation of Lucan was published by Sir Arthur Gorges, and entered as such on the same books, PLATO,

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