posed that the booksellers would not have endeavoured to procure a sale for it by stamping his name upon it? In short, the high antiquity of the piece, its entry on the Stationers' books, and being afterwards printed without the name of our author, its being performed by the servants of Lord Pembroke, &c. the stately march of the versification, the whole colour of the composition, its resemblance to several of our most ancient dramas, the dissimilitude of the style from our author's undoubted compositions, and the tradition mentioned by Ravenscroft, when some of his contemporaries had not been long dead, (for Lowin and Taylor, two of his fellow-comedians, were alive a few years before the Restoration, and Sir William D'Avenant, who had himself written for the stage in 1629, did not die till April 1668;) all these circumstances combined, prove with irresistible force that the play of Titus Andronicus has been erroneously ascribed to Shakspeare. MALONE. In the library of the Duke of Bridgewater, at Ashridge, is a volume of old quarto plays, numbered R. 1.7, in which the first is Titus Andronicus. This, the ingenious and accurate Mr. Todd has collated with the edition of 1793, and most of his collations may be seen in the edition of Shakspeare in 21 volumes, 1803. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Saturninus, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared Emperor himself. Bassianus, Brother to Saturninus; in love with Lavinia, Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman, General against the Goths. Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the People; and Brother to Titus. Lucius, Quintus, Sons to Titus Andronicus. Martius, Mutius, Young Lucius, a Boy, Son to Lucius. Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown; Romans. Goths and Romans. Tamora, Queen of the Goths. Lavinia, Daughter to Titus Andronicus. A Nurse, and a black Child. Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE, Rome; and the Country near it. TITUS ANDRONICUS. ACT I. SCENE 1. Rome. Before the Capitol. The Tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the Senate. Enter, below, SATURNINUS and his Followers, on one side; and BASSIANUS and his Followers, on the other; with Drum and Colours. Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, wrong mine age with this indignity. Bas. Romans,-friends, followers, favourers of my right, If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son, Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, 1 my successive title-] i. e. my title to the succession. VOL. VIII. M But let desert in pure election shine; Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the Crown. Mar. Princes-that strive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for rule and empery, Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we stand Lives not this day within the city walls: From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, Whom you pretend to honour and adore,— Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy In thy uprightness and integrity, And so I love and honour thee and thine, And her, to whom my thoughts are humbled all, Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; [Exeunt the Followers of SATURNinus. Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor. [SAT. and BAS. go into the Capitol, and exeunt with Senators, MARCUS, &c. SCENE II. The same. Enter a Captain, and Others. Cap. Romans, make way; The good Andronicus, With honour and with fortune is return'd, Flourish of Trumpets, &c. enter MUTIUS and MAR- |