In the first Folio King Lear was printed from an independent manuscript, and its text is on the whole much superior to that of the Quartos. Each however supplies passages which are wanting in the other.
Capell appears to have prepared the play for press in the first instance from Pope's first edition. The manuscript readings and stage directions, marked in his copy of that edition but not adopted in his own, we have quoted as 'Capell MS'.
3. Othello was first printed in Quarto in 1622 with the following title:
The | Tragœdy of Othello, | The Moore of Venice. | As it hath beene diuerse times acted at the | Globe, and at the Black-Friers, by | his Maiesties Seruants. | Written by William Shakespeare. | LONDON,| Printed by N. O. for Thomas Walkley, and are to be sold at his | shop, at the Eagle and Child, in Brittans Bursse. | 1622. |
To this edition which we call Q1, the following preface was affixed by the publisher:
The Stationer to the Reader.
To set forth a booke without an Epistle, were like to the old English prouerbe, A blew coat without a badge, & the Author being dead, I thought good to take that piece of worke vpon mee: To commend it, I will not, for that which is good, I hope euery man will commend, without intreaty: and I am the bolder, because the Authors name is sufficient to vent his worke. Thus leauing euery one to the liberty of iudgement: I haue ventered to print this Play, and leaue it to the generall censure.
Yours,
Thomas Walkley.