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A. J. Valpy
(1787 - 1854)

A. J. Valpy
Valpy's First Edition of 1832-34

Introduction

Abraham John Valpy was born in 1787 was the son of Richard Valpy, himself a Shakespeare adapter and Reading schoolmaster.  Valpy trained at this father's grammer school at Reading.  He matriculated from Pembroke College Oxford, and received his B.A. in 1809 and M. A. in 1811.  At the age of 17 he published Epistolse M. T. Ciceronis excerptae for the benefit of his fellow students which reached a fifth edition by 1829.  His hope was to excel as a classical printer and editor, and was bound apprentice to Humphrey Pridden in London and was admitted a liveryman of the Stationers' Company in 1807.  In 1822 he moved his printing business to Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, where he published numerous works specializing in ancient literature (DNB).  From 1832-34 he brought out his 15-volume edition of The Plays and Poems of Shakspeare. 

The really significant thing about the above blast from the first printed page in Volume I of Valpy's first edition is the price:  5 shillings.  His page 1 advertisement goes on to trumpet:

Numerous and varied as are the forms in which the Works of Shakspeare have appeared, it will be readily acknowleged that an improved edition, printed in the same form as the most popular productions of the present day, is still a desideratum.

The text of Malone, as published in 182l, in twenty-one volumes 8vo, will be adopted; Glossarial Notes on all obsolete words will be given ; and a brief Historical Digest prefixed to each Play.

In addition to the many advantages offered in the present edition, it will be embellished with One Hundred AND Seventy Illustrations, executed on steel in the first style of outline engraving, designed from the Plates in Boydell's Shakspeare, which was originally published at £95, and large paper at £l90...

The number and excellence of the illustrations, and the style of the letter-press, will render the present edition.

Printing technology since the 1791-1802 (Murphy §363) Boydell Shakespeare had advanced so that a reasonable copy of the vastly expensive plates included in the Boydell could be offered in knock-off prices.  The entire Valpy 15-volume edition sold for £3 15s.  It was reprinted throughout the nineteenth century.  The text was the text of Boswell's "third variorum" edition, often called Malone's text of 1821, though Malone died in 1812 and left his literary notes and materials to the selfless James Boswell, son of Johnson's biographer, to edit and assemble.  Valpy, however, abandons the truly voluminous notes of the third variorum and follows the fashion of the recent Singer edition:  "Dr. Johnson has observed in his excellent Preface, that 'notes are often necessary, but a necessary evil:' such only are inserted as may serve to elucidate obscure passages, or to explain obsolete words and phrases; by which the Editor hopes to obtain for his work the appellation of 'a legible edition of Shakspeare,' uniform with the most popular productions of the present day, and suited to the taste of the age" (Advertisement to vol. I of the first edition).

I could not locate a complete, full-view first edition of the 1832-34 Valpy (Murphy §470) at Google Book Search (GBS).  Nine of the fifteen volumes are available in full view, another 4 in snippet view, though searchable, and two volumes not at all.  Nevertheless I give the links here for those interested in examining this first edition.  It is important, because the quality of the prints in the first edition—the reason to examine the Valpy at all—is very much better than that of the 1857 edition, for which I could find an entire set of links at GBS.  I follow links to the first edition with links to the 1857 below for comparison purposes.  Interestingly, the 1857 editions, one of many cheap reprints of Valpy made throughout the nineteenth century, drops mention of the Boydell Edition and mentions only "Illustrations from Designs by English Artists."  Whether the poor quality of most of the illustrations in the 1857 edition is a result of poor printing, deterioration of the prints over time, or poor scanning I cannot say for sure, but imagine deterioration is the best explanation because some of the illustrations appear as good as those in the 1832-34 edition.

The Valpy Edition of 1832-34

The Plays and Poems of Shakspeare, with a Life, Glossarial Notes, and One Hundred and Seventy Illustrations from the Plates in Boydell's Edition, Edited by A. J. Valpy, M. A. Late Fellow of Pemb. Coll., Oxford , in Fifteen Volumes.

The Valpy 1857 Edition (one of the many reprints of the Valpy Shakespeare in the nineteenth century).

The Plays and Poems of Shakespeare, According to the Improved Text of Edmund Malone, Including the Latest Revisions With A Life, Glossarial Notes, an Index, and One Hundred and Seventy Illustrations from Designs by English Artists.  Edited by A. J. Valpy, A. M. Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, In Fifteen Volumes.

All volumes available from GBS in full view.

Advertisement to Vol. I of the first edition (1832)

ADVERTISEMENT.

In presenting the first volume of this edition of the Works of Shakspeare to the notice of the public, the Editor deems it expedient to point out the leading features by which it is distinguished.

The text of Malone, as published in 1821, in twenty-one volumes, is scrupulously followed; and a brief Historical Sketch and Argument are prefixed to each Play.

Dr. Johnson has observed in his excellent Preface, that 'notes are often necessary, but a necessary evil:' such only are inserted as may serve to elucidate obscure passages, or to explain obsolete words and phrases; by which the Editor hopes to obtain for his work the appellation of 'a legible edition of Shakspeare,' uniform with the most popular productions of the present day, and suited to the taste of the age.

The attention of the youthful reader will be directed to the most striking and brilliant passages by the Index, which is intended to form a complete reference to the Beauties of Shakspeare.

The Illustrations are drawn from the one hundred and seventy plates in Boydell's Edition, and executed on steel, in the first style of outline engraving.

The number and quality of the illustrations, the convenience and portability of the form adopted, and the general execution of the whole work, will it is hoped merit the approbation of the public, as the most useful, ornamental, and economical edition of Shakspeare.

A Comparison of Sample Boydell  and Valpy Illustrations

Boydell's Shakespeare (1791-1804, including the 2-volume edition of illustrations) was a high water mark of eighteenth century English printing.  His great edition of the works in nine-volumes, edited by George Steevens, was illustrated with copper plate prints made from engravings by specially commissioned engravers based on portraits likewise specially commissioned by Boydell at enormous cost.  The portraits were done by the best artists in England, and were displayed in the Boydell Gallery at 52 Pall Mall from 1789 until it closed with the unfortunate near-bankruptcy of Boydell.  His edition of Shakespeare was a magnificent artifact for which he hired probably the best printer in England at the time, William Bulmer, had a special font designed and cut for the work by William Martin, (named, ironically enough, "Bulmer" which, by the way, was re-cut in 1928 and is still in use) and even manufactured the ink used in the printing based on a custom formula.  It was printed on special heavy Whatman paper, with extra heavy paper used for the illustration.  Bound in leather, it sold, as emphasized in Valpy's advertisement above, for "£95, and large paper at £l90."  Valpy's original 15-volume edition sold for 5s per volume, £3 15s in all.  No amount of improvement in printing and engraving technology can account for the difference, of course.  Valpy's was a cheap knock-off, featuring steel plate engraving.  Below are show several of the prints from the original Boydell edition with their corresponding Valpy print, sized similar for comparison purposes.

Boydell Ilustration
Romeo and Juliet, Act V, Scene 3: Juliet awakes, and finds Romeo dead
engraving by James Heath (1757–1834) after painting by James Northcote (1746–1831)

Valpy Illustration
engraved by Starling

Boydell:
Romeo and Juliet, Act IV, Scene 5: Juliet's supposed death
engraving by Jean Pierre Simon (1750-c. 1810) after painting by John Opie (1761–1807)

Valpy Illustration
engraved by T. Starling (note the significant addition of additional mourners)

Boydell Illustration
Cymbeline, Act III, Scene 6: Imogen, disguised, enters into Bellario's cave
engraving by James Parker (1750–1805) after painting by Richard Westall (1765–1836)

Valpy Illustration
engraved by Starling

Boydell Illustration
Richard III: Act IV, Scene 3: Murder of the princes
engraving by James Heath (1757–1834) after painting by James Northcote (1746–1831)

Valpy Illustration
engraved by Starling

Boydell Illustration
Richard Westall's Ophelia engraved by J. Parker

Valpy Illustration
engraved by Starling

 

Links on/about Valpy

  • Stephen, Lesley and Lee, Sidney, et al.  "A. J. Valpy" in Dictionary of National Biography, 1900 [GBS].

 

 
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©2009 Terry A. Gray
Last modified 09/21/09
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