The non-appearance of my name as a querist has been rather fortuitous,
and it shall now be made evident that I am neither so rich in materials,
nor so proud in spirit, as to decline such assistance as may be derived
from the information and courtesy of other contributors to the "Notes
and Queries."
1. Did the following critical remarks on Shakspere, by Edward Phillips,
appear _verbatim_ in the _Thesaurus_ of J. Buchlerus, 1669?
The Bodleian library has the London edition of 1636; and the British
Museum that of 1652. Wood cites an edition of 1669. I transcribe from
that of 1679.
"Hoc seculo [sc. temporibus Elizabetha reginæ et Jacobi regis]
floruerunt--Gulielmus Shacsperus, qui præter opera dramatica,
duo poematia _Lucretiæ stuprum à Tarquinio_, et _Amores Veneris
in Adonidem_, lyrica carmina nonnulla composuit; videtur fuisse,
siquis alius, re verâ poeta natus. Samuel Daniel non obseurus
hujus ætatis poeta, etc....
Ex eis qui dramaticè scripserunt, primas sibi vendicant
Shacsperus, Jonsonus et Fletcherus, quorum hic facundâ et polita
quadam familiaritate sermonis, ille erudito judicio et usu
veterum authorum, alter nativa quadam et poetica sublimitate
ingenii excelluisse videntur. Ante hos in hoc genere poeseos
apud nos eminuit nemo. Pauci quidem antea scripserunt, at parum
foeliciter; hos autem tanquam duces itineris plurimi saltem
æmulati sunt, inter quos præter Sherleium, proximum à supra
memorato triumviratu. Suclingium, Randolphium, Davenantium et
Carturitium--enumerandi veniunt Ric. Bromeus, Tho. Heivodus,"
etc.
2. What are the contents of a work entitled, [Old German script:
Schaubune Englischer und Franßofischer Comædianten], printed before
1671?
This work is recorded, but without a date, in the _Historia literaria_
of Simon Paulli, which was printed at Strasbourg in 1671. A statement of
its contents would be very acceptable to myself, and to other admirers
of our early dramatic literature.
3. Who is the fortunate possessor of the _Lives and characters of the
English dramatick poets_ with the marginal marks of Garrick?
The copy in question was sold with the unreserved books of Garrick in
1823, No. 1269. It contained this note:
"All the plays marked thus * in this catalogue, I bought of
Dodsley. Those marked thus O, I have added to the collection
since. D.G."
Each of the above queries would have admitted further remarks, but I
wish to set an example of obedience to the recent editorial injunction
on brevity.