Notes on the Shakespeare First Polio. By Sidney Lee. (H.
Frowde. 2s. net.)—In this pamphlet Mr. Sidney Lee supplements the census which he published some three years ago of copies of the First Folio. At the same time he corrects his description in three cases. The Leiter copy is now put in the first class ; that in the Newberry Library (Chicago) is promoted from the third to the second division of the second class ; a third copy is degraded as having been "made up." Mr. Lee also gives some interesting details of prices. Mr. Perry, of Providence, Rhode Island, gave £10,000 for copies (all in good condition) of the four folios. The record prices up to this purchase were .Q1,720, £690, ..t755, .2215. The total is £3,380, and this has been nearly trebled by Mr. Perry, who, if we are to apportion the sum paid between the four books, must have given .86,000 at least for the First Folio. When American multi-millionaires are willing to do such things, it is no wonder that the proportion of copies held in America steadily in- creases. But the larger part of Mr. Lee's pamphlet is given to the description of "new" copies. Of these there are fourteen. One of them "came to light "at Arundel Castle. It would appear that Mr. Lee's inquiries previous to the publication of the first census had been met with the answer that the only folio in the Duke's possession was a Third. And this was found to be a First. Is the owner of treasures so numerous that such a mistake should be made to be envied or not ? Who shall say ? We must not forget to mention the " Turbutt " copy. This was sent to the Bodleian, as the law, directed, in 1623, and sold by the Curators, as superfluous, in 1664, when the Third Folio was published. It was purchased by subscription for the Bodleian last year.
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