"THYS BOKE IS MYNE" on exhibit November 13, 2002 through March 1, 2003

Thys Boke was Pope's?

Shakespeare. …Comedies, histories, and tragedies…. London, 1664

This copy of the Third Folio is open to pages in The Tempest where the manuscript notes mirror changes that appear in Pope's printed edition of the same play, published in 1725. Note the handwritten designation of locale, Prospero's Cave, that also appears in the printed text. There are hundreds of examples that link the two texts and suggest this copy of the Third Folio may have been annotated by Pope in preparation for his edition. One collector assures us this is Pope's handwriting. A paleographer isn't convinced. What do you think?

Pope's edition of The Tempest

William Shakespeare. Works. Dublin, 1725/26.

Pope's edition of The Tempest, open to the scene headed "Prospero's Cave." Is the heading a coincidence, or do the annotations in the soiled Folio text to the left show Pope making editorial changes that would appear in his edition? This is one of eight instances of handwritten scene headings in this copy of the Third Foilio appear in Pope's printed edition of The Tempest.