[B] Not the Signet Library, as stated by Mr Collier.
For some time the Bridgewater copy was believed to be unique. Todd was the first to collate it, somewhat hastily as it would seem, with Steevens' edition of 1793, and the results were given in the notes to the first variorum edition (1803). Subsequent editors were content to accept Todd's authority till Mr Collier consulted the original for himself. Lady Ellesmere's kind liberality has enabled us to do the like. We have gone over it with great care, and succeeded in recovering a considerable number of readings which had escaped the notice of previous collators. Taking its rarity into account, we have recorded the variations of this edition with unusual minuteness. They are the better worth notice, as the book is printed with remarkable accuracy. We call it Q1.
The second edition of Titus Andronicus was published in 1611. This we call Q2. Its title-page is as follows:
The | most lamen-|table Tragedie | of Titus Andronicus. | As it hath sundry | times beene plaide by the Kings | Maiesties Seruants. | London, | Printed for Eedward White, and are to be solde | at his shoppe, nere the little North dore of | Pauls, at the signe of the | Gun. 1611. |
This edition was printed from that of 1600, from which it varies only by some printer's errors and a few conjectural alterations.
The first Folio text was printed from a copy of the second Quarto which, perhaps, was in the library of the theatre, and had some MS. alterations and additions made to the stage directions. Here, as elsewhere, the printer of the Folio has been very careless as to metre. It is remarkable that the Folio contains a whole scene, Act III. Sc. 2, not found in the Quartos, but agreeing too closely in style with the main portion of the play to allow of the supposition that it is due to a different author. The scene may have been supplied to the players' copy of Q2 from a manuscript in their possession.
Ravenscroft's version quoted in our notes is an alteration of the play, published in 1687 under the title of 'Titus Andronicus: or the Rape of Lavinia.'
We have to thank Dr Delius of Bonn, for sending us the second edition of his 'Shakespeare,' and for the interest he has taken in our work, Dr Leo of Berlin, for a present of his edition of 'Coriolanus,' Mr Rivington and Mr Greenhill, for procuring us access to the registers of the Stationers' Company, and Sir S. M. Peto, Sir J. Claridge, Professor Blackie, Mr D. Laing, the Rev. T. J. Rowsell, Dr Kingsley, Mr R. H. Martley, Mr L. Booth, and Mr H. Peto, for various acts of kindness.