Yesterday, Jason Scott-Warren (Cambridge University) and I presented some updated findings about—and readings of—the marked up copy of Mr William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies (1623), aka the First Folio, housed in the Rare Book Department at the Free Library of Philadelphia. The talk was graciously hosted by the Society for Renaissance Studies and moderated by Daniel Starza Smith of King’s College London.
This particular copy of the first edition of Shakespeare’s plays was almost certainly owned and annotated by the poet John Milton, as Jason first proposed last September after reading an essay I had written about the reader’s marks. (See a digest of media coverage here.) Our talk extends our moves beyond the attribution alone to consider possible timelines for Milton’s engagement with the playtexts based on palaeographic and other kinds of internal and external evidence. How did Milton read and re-read Shakespeare? We also offer a new theory about the book’s provenance prior to its entering the historical record in an 1899 auction catalogue. If you were unable to tune in, a full playback of the talk and Q&A (with cat cameos) is available below.
Before you click through, though, please know that the Free Library of Philadelphia, the institution that stewards this remarkable book along with many other important rare materials, is currently facing dire funding cuts. In addition to its Rare Book Department, the Free Library serves the greater Philadelphia area through its central Parkway and branch libraries with a circulating collection of books and extensive programming and services for children and adults, a lot of which are offered for free: ESL classes, business education, tax prep, literacy support, prison and re-entry resources, computer classes, community grants, career services, K-12 after-school programs, guides to navigate healthcare and the Affordable Care Act, etc. Like many public library systems in America, the Free Library has become a cornerstone of underserved communities in the city. You can help by contacting the Philadelphia City Council on Twitter (@PHLcouncil) and/or emailing Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney (james.kenney@phila.gov) to ask that the city not to cut funding to the Free Library. You might also consider donating to the Rare Book Department. Thank you!
As always, if you watch the talk and have questions, comments, or leads for us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!