Peltro William Tomkins & Robert Smirke

Shakspeare. As You Like It. Act II, Scene VII. The Seven Ages of Man. First Age. Pub. June 4 1801, by J. & J. Boydell at the Shakspeare Gallery Pall Mall, & No. 90, Cheapside, London. Engraved by P. W. Tomkins, Histr. Engraver to Her Majesty. Painted by R. Smirke R. A.

Shakespeare's famous verse of the Seven Ages of Man allows wide interpretations by Boydell's artists. This, the first age, depicts the newborn in 'the nurse's arms'. All the other elements contained in this image are left to the imagination of the artist, Robert Smirke. The baby's parents are probably well to do labourers on a country estate. They are visited by the lady of the parish, to the left. Behind her and the barking dog is her fashionably dressed black servant.

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits, and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel,
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school: and then, the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow: Then, a soldier;
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like a pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth: and then, the justice;
In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances,
And so he plays his part: The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon;
With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side;
His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again to childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound: Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness, and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything." * Shakespeare

This original engraving is an 'Open Letter Proof Impression'. 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.The text below the image on this impression reads;

Shakspeare. As You Like It. Act II, Scene VII. The Seven Ages of Man. First Age. Pub. June 4 1801, by J. & J. Boydell at the Shakspeare Gallery Pall Mall, & No. 90, Cheapside, London. Engraved by P. W. Tomkins, Histr. Engraver to Her Majesty. Painted by R. Smirke R. A.

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

Jaq. _______At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms:

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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