harding's Edition. All's Well that ends Well, A COMEDY, BY WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. ACCURATELY PRINTED FROM THE TEXT OF Mr. STEEVENS'S LAST EDITION. Drnamented with Plates. London: FUELISHED BY E. HARDING, NO. 98, PALL-MALL; - OBSERVATIONS. THE story of All's Well that ends Well, or, as I suppose it to have been sometimes call'd, Love's Labour Wonne, is originally indeed the property of Boccace, but it came immediately to Shakspeare from Painter's Giletta of Narbon, in the First Vol. of the Palace of Pleasure, 4to. 1566, p. 88. FARMER. Shakspeare is indebted to the novel only for a few leading circumstances in the graver parts of the piece. The comic business appears to be entirely of his own formation. STEEVENS. This comedy, I imagine, was written in 1598. MALONE. PERSONS REPRESENTED. King of France. Duke of Florence. BERTRAM, Count of Roufillon. LAFEU, an old Lord. PAROLLES, a follower of Bertram. Several young French Lords, that ferve with Bertram in the Countess of Rousillon, mother to Bertram. HELENA, a gentlewoman protected by the Countess. An old widow of Florence. DIANA, daughter to the widow. VIOLENTA, MARIANA, } Neighbours and friends to the widow. Lords, attending on the King; Officers, Soldiers, &c. French and Florentine. SCENE, partly in France, and partly in Tuscany. |