Jean Pierre Simon 'John Peter Simon, the Younger' & Robert Smirke

Anne Page. Will't please your worship to come in, sir?

Master Abraham Slender. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well.

Anne Page. The dinner attends you, sir.

Master Abraham Slender. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. Go,
sirrah, for all you are my man, go wait upon my
cousin Shallow:

[Exit Simple].

A justice of peace sometime may be beholden to his
friend for a man: - I keep but three men and a boy
yet, till my mother be dead: But what though? yet I
live like a poor gentleman born.

Anne. I may not go in without your worship; they will not
sit till you come.

Master Abraham Slender. I 'faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as though I did.

Anne Page. I pray you, sir, walk in.

Master Abraham Slender. I had rather walk here, I thank you. I bruised
my shin th' other day with playing at sword and
dagger with a master of fence; three veneys for a
dish of stewed prunes; and, by my troth, i cannot
abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your
dogs bark so? be there bears I' the town?

Anne Page. I think there are, sir; I heard them talked of. etc... * Shakespeare

This original engraving was inspired by a play written by William Shakespeare, "Merry Wives of Windsor. Act I, Scene I". It deals with Master Abraham Slender's courtship of Anne Page, a scene with Slender, Simple, and Anne Page at the steps of her father's house. Here, we have the wealthy cousin of Justice Shallow, Master Abraham Slender, a pale dim witted fellow. He has come to see Anne Page in an attempt to flatter her. The cowering man behind Slender is Peter Simple, his servant. Anne Page, is the lovely daughter of Mrs. Margaret Page and Master George Page and William's sister. Slender is not Anne's only suitor, she has two others, a bad tempered, but well to do French physician known as Doctor Caius, and Master Fenton a fairly good looking gentleman who has unfortunately squandered all his wealth. Both Slender and Doctor Caius expect to marry Anne, and make plans to elope with her, with or without her consent. (The text above includes a part of their conversation that takes place during Slender's visit.) This is a delightful, original example of the engraved art created of Isaac Taylor, Junior and the designs of Robert Smirke for the famous Boydell Shakespeare Gallery.

This is an original 'Proof Impression Before Title' as described #2. 'Proofs Before Title'. These impressions usually contain the names of the artist, publisher and engraver along the lower margin. They lack the title of the specific play depicted and usually the heading -- 'Shakspeare' -- is smaller than in the published edition. Once again, this state was printed in a very small numbers.

The text below the image of this proof impression reads; "Publish'd Jany. 1. 1792. by J. & J. Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery Pall Mall, & at No. 90. Cheapside. Aquafortis by P Simon. Painted by R. Smirke. Shakspeare."

Note: As this is an original proof impression, it lacks the following text that appears in later impressions.

"Shakspeare. Merry Wives of Windsor. Act I, Scene I. Engrav'd by I. P Simon. Painted by R. Smirke. Publish'd Decr, 21, 1793, by John & Josiah Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery Pall Mall, & 90. Cheapside."

Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir?
Slender. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well.
Anne. The dinner attends you, sir.
Slender. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. Go,
sirrah, for all you are my man, go wait upon my
cousin Shallow. [Exit Simple A justice of peace
sometime may be beholden to his friend for a man: - I keep
but three men and a boy yet, till my mother be dead:
But what though? yet I live like a poor gentleman born.
Anne. I may not go in without your worship; they will
not sit till you come.
Slen. I 'faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as though I did.
Anne Page. I pray you, sir, walk in.

An Important Note on Boydell States and Editions: Proof impressions and true first edition impressions are easily identified by their fine lines and strong contrasts of black and white tones. Later more common editions print in a more overall grey tone and contain areas of re-working. Briefly, the publishing history of these great engravings can be categorized into five states or editions:

1. 'Artist's Proofs'. These are the earliest of states and were printed in only a handful of impressions. They are identified not only by their vibrant lines and tones but by the fact that they lack any letters along the lower margin.
2. 'Proofs Before Title'. These impressions usually contain the names of the artist, publisher and engraver along the lower margin. They lack the title of the specific play depicted and usually the heading -- 'Shakspeare' -- is smaller than in the published edition. Once again, this state was printed in a very small numbers.
3. 'Open Letter Proofs'. These impressions bear the title of the play. the heading, 'Shakspeare' (Shakespeare), is yet to be filled in with stippling. These impressions were printed before the publication of the first edition and were probably struck from the plate at a customer's request. Perhaps ten to twenty Open Letter Proofs exist for each engraving.
4. 'First Edition Impressions'. The completed set of Boydell's Shakespeare engravings was published in London in 1803. The full publisher's address appears along the lower margin as well as the text for the play. The heading, 'Shakspeare', is now filled in with stippling. Both first edition impressions and proofs were most often printed on either hand-made, laid paper or wove paper bearing the 'J. Whatman' watermark.
5. 'Posthumous Impressions and Restrikes' As early as 1807, John Stockdale of London issued a second edition of the Shakespeare prints. They continued to be published throughout the first half of the nineteenth century. Finally, in 1852, an enterprising dentist in New York City (with the delightful name of Shearjashub Spooner) acquired the plates, restored them and produced the last edition. These prints are most commonly offered for sale.

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