Item 8 - Postcard from Israel Gollancz to R. B. McKerrow

Tan-y-Bryn, Shoot-Up Hill, N.W.—Discusses McKerrow’s forthcoming edition of The Gull’s Horn-book.

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Transcript

Tan-Y-Bryn: Shoot-Up-Hill. N.W.
7/1/03

I find your packet awaiting me on coming to town from the Country. I have been resting for a few days, as I have not been very well of late. I think Mr Moring will go to press with this vol-ume in two or three weeks time. The question of Introduction might, I think, be left for the pre-sent, but why not get on to the Glossary at once; the page references could be put in afterwards. Is there not a 2nd Edition of “the Horn Book” with additional matter in the Chapter relating to the Theatre? {1}—With all good wishes,
I. G.

[Directed to:] R. B. McKerrow. Esq. | 22. Friars Stile Road | Richmond | Surrey.

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Postmarked at Kilburn Sorting Office, N.W., at 3.30 p.m. on 7 January 1903.

{1} The reference is to The Gull’s Hornbook by Thomas Dekker, McKerrow’s edition of which was published by the De La More Press in March 1904 (according to the colophon; the English Catalogue of Books gives the month of publication as April) and reprinted by the same publisher in a slightly different format the following year. Only one early edition of the Hornbook is known, published in 1609 (STC (2nd ed.) 6500), but the book was re-issued in 1674 by Sam. Vincent—‘apparently’, as McKerrow notes, ‘as an original work’—under the title The Young Gallant’s Academy. Vincent made certain alterations intended to bring the work up to date, and in particular rewrote much of the chapter on the theatre. This revised version of the chapter is printed as an appendix in McKerrow’s edition.