ABSTRACT
The new edition of Shakespeare was the young Jacob Tonson's idea. He rightly supposed that with Alexander Pope's name on the title page the six de luxe volumes of the plays would be in great demand, even at the price he was asking for them –five guineas. Alexander Pope already had some editing experience, having prepared the poems of Parnell as well as those of Buckingham for the press and he began his new task well. When Alexander Pope's edition of Shakespeare was published in March 1725, Lewis Theobald was not displeased to note that many people said it was ill done and over priced. Broome and Fenton proved to be good at matching the style of Alexander Pope, who carefully revised the whole work. Alexander Pope's attempt to find a role for himself as Lady Mary's courtly lover, ended in failure and his adoration turned to hatred.
