Читать книгу The Shakespeare-Expositor - Thomas Keightley - Страница 28

Editions. 4to, 1600; 4to, 1602; 4to, 1608; in the folio, 1623.

Date. As in the chorus to Act V. there is an evident allusion to the expedition of the Earl of Essex to Ireland, whither he went in April 1599, and whence he returned in the following September, it would seem to be clear that the play was acted in the interval between those two months. The insertion of this passage seems to be inexplicable on any other hypothesis. This also proves that the choruses formed a part of the original play, though they are not to be found in the 4to editions, which, it is well known, are scandalously imperfect.

Origin. The same as that of the two preceding plays.