The chief points of difference between the two surreptitious editions have been pointed out by Mr. W. A. Greenhill in his facsimile edition of the book, printed in 1883. The form of some of the capital letters is occasionally different; the issue which he calls A, and to which our copy belongs, has pp. 190, the other, B, 159; A has 25 lines to a page—B, 26; and the lines in A are shorter than those in B. After comparing these with the authorized version, Mr. Greenhill says:
"It will appear from the above collection of various readings that the alterations made by the Author in the authorized edition consisted chiefly in the correction of positive blunders, made (as we know from an examination of the existing MSS.) quite as often by the copyist as by the printer. But he also took the opportunity of modifying various positive and strongly worded propositions by the substitution of less dogmatic expressions, or the insertion of the qualifying words, I think, as some will have it, in some sense, upon some grounds, and the like." "Upon the whole," Mr. Greenhill thinks Browne "had good reason to complain bitterly that the book was published, not only without his knowledge and consent, but also in a "depraved and 'imperfect' form."
The curious coincidence that all three editions, spurious and authorized, were issued by the same publisher, who used the engraved title-page by William Marshall for each, only changing the imprint, gave rise to the hypothesis that, if Sir Thomas did not authorize, he did not prevent the publication of the early editions. In fact, Dr. Johnson (though he professes to acquit him) favored the view "that Browne procured the anonymous publication of the treatise in order to try its success with the public before openly acknowledging the authorship."
The effect of the work certainly justified any fears the author may have had. It excited much controversy and was placed in the Index Expurgatorius of the Roman Church. But from the publisher's point of view, it was a great success. Eleven editions appeared during Browne's lifetime, it was reprinted over and over again, and it provoked over thirty imitations of its scope or title. It was translated into Latin, Dutch, French and German.
The emblematic fancy of Marshall has represented on the engraved title-page of this volume, a hand from the clouds catching a man to hinder his falling from a rock into the sea. The picture bears the legend "à coelo salus," which was afterward erased, not, we will hope, because of lack of faith in the sentiment expressed. The title was also rubbed out.
Duodecimo.
Collation: Engraved title, one leaf; A-M, in eights.