C/o E.M.C., P.O. Urambo, via Tabora T.T., British East Africa.—Challenges an inference in The Editorial Problem in Shakespeare.
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Transcript
c/o. E.M.C. | P.O. URAMBO. | via Tabora. T.T. | Brit. East Africa.
22/6/49
Dr. W. W. Greg.
Standlands. Petworth. Sussex. England.
Dear Sir,
Q4 Richard II: 2nd issue 1608.
May I respectfully suggest with defference† to yourself as the most distinguished bibliographer of the present day that, possibly, there might be an error in the view that “of” in the title-page of Q4 Richard II—2nd issue 1608—provides prima facie evidence that the ‘deposition’ scene is piratical—your Ed. Prob. in Sh. O.U.P. 1942 p. xlii, footnote (i).
It appears to me, Sir, that this word “of” cannot rightly be explained in (shall we say) Windsorian parlance. Similar uses of this word, which allow ‘in’, ‘at’, ‘from’ etc., occur in (all F):—
M. of V.—V. i. 297 [Added by Greg: ‘= regarding’]
All’s Well.—I. i. 7 [Added by Greg: ‘= in’] also IV. ii. 65 [Added by Greg: ‘= in’] & IV. iii. 336 [Added by Greg: ‘= of or by’]
Lear.—I. v. 23 [corrected to ‘22’ by Greg, who has added ‘= on’]
to give three examples only.
There are, according to my reckoning, three times as many again, each showing a variation in the use of the word “of”. Similarly, perhaps, Q4 Richard II. 2nd issue. {1}
I do not here dispute the opinion that the ‘deposition’ passages are, or may be, unaccredited: I venture to suggest only that, on quite strictly bibliographical grounds, there appears to be no evidence to support the belief that this Quarto is thus stigmatized by deliberate piratical infiltration.
If it would not be unseemly for you to reply with a view to helping me, in however small a way, in trying to clear up this particular problem, I should, indeed, be greatly obliged to you.
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Incidentally, although I am quite satisfied that I have correctly answered the theory of ‘bad’ and ‘good’ Quartos, I am not sure that the Pavier-Jaggard Quartos, although plainly the “stolne, and surreptitious copies”, are without both bibliographical and textual merit. It is a very, very difficult problem. Where it may lead, I dare not think. I wish Pollard were here.
I am in the Holy Study
[Signed:] K B Danks
K. B. DANKS
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The printed address at the head—Welcombe Enclosure, P.O. Songhor, Kenya Colony—has been struck through. In the original some pairs of words are run together, e.g. ‘ofthe’, ‘away’, ‘Iam’. ‘p. xlii’ (the page of the note referred to by Danks) has been written at the head in pencil.
† Sic.
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