This, the fourth edition of the collected plays of William Shakespeare, is commonly known as the Fourth Folio. The so-called First Folio was printed in London and issued in 1623 by Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount. It contained 36 plays, 18 of which had never before appeared in print, including Macbeth, The Tempest, and Julius Caesar. Before the first folio, a number of Shakespeare's plays had been published in various smaller formats that frequently contained significant textual divergences between editions.. Of the seven extra plays included in this folio, only one (Pericles) is still considered to have been authored by Shakespeare.

The front matter contains commendatory verses and epistles dedicatory from contemporaries and admirers of Shakespeare, including Ben Jonson, James Mabbe, Leonard Digges, Hugh Holland, and John Milton

There is one other title page setting associated with this edition. It bears the following imprint: H. Herringman, E. Brewster, and R. Bentley, at the Anchor in the New Exchange, the Crane in St. Pauls Church-Yard, and in Russel-Street Covent-Garden, 1685

Greg identified Robert Roberts as the printer of the first section and conjectured that the edition itself was the work of three separate printers, the final two of whom remained unidentified

Signatures: pi² [superscript pi]A⁴ A-Y⁶ Z⁴ ²B-²C⁶ 2D-2Z⁶ *3A-*3D⁶ *3E⁸ 3A-4B⁶ 4C².

Numerous errors in pagination are present. For a detailed description, see Greg

U3 signed U2

Bartlett, H.C. Shakespeare early editions, 123

Boston Public Library. Barton collection catalogue, p. 2

ESTC R24524

Greg, III, p. 1121

Pforzheimer 911

Wing (2nd ed.) 2917

Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) copy G.176.4 FOLIO bound in early calfskin triple-paneled in blind. Gilt, armorial super-ex-libris of Isaac L. Goldsmid (lion rampant at a gun over the initials I.L.G.) at center of both covers. Corners repaired in modern calf. Spine rebacked in brown goatskin. Original compartments, with portion of deteriorated leather label retained. All text block edges sprinkled red. Extra sheet Y3.4 bound-into Y⁶. Running title on second page of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" (p. 19) erroneously printed as "The Tempest." Sheets 2G1.6 and 2G2.5 inserted from different copy (conjugate pairs share matching worm holes found neither in adjascent gatherings, nor in other sheets comprising 2G⁶). Armorial bookplate of the Barton Library. Inscription signed by Barton on added front flyleaf. Latin inscription on title page: "Domus neoporti Anglorum". This copy purchased by Thomas Pennant Barton from Thomas Rodd, of London, in 1834. Housed in a green cloth box with a black spine label.

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