Playwrights' Manuscripts.
Reading edition
E here present our readers with fac-similes of the manuscripts of several of the most popular of living playwrights, chosen from some of the best-known of their plays. Most of them tell their own story; but we may call particular attention to the specimen by Mr. Irving, who is not generally known to be a playwright. Yet the manner in which he treats a drama like "Louis XI." (a page of which we give), by cutting, adding, and writing in soliloquies, manifestly makes him a joint-author in the play.
Fac-simile of a page of MS. from Mr. ROBERT BUCHANAN'S play, Clarissa.
Fac-simile of a page of MS. from Mr. GEORGE R. SIMS' play, The Lights o' London. Act III. Scene 1.
Fac-simile of a page of MS. from Mr. H. PETTITT'S play, Hands across the Sea.
Fac-simile of a page of MS. from a play now being written by Mr. JEROME K. JEROME.
Fac-simile of a page of MS. from Mr. HENRY A. JONES' play, The Dancing Girl.
Fac-simile of a page of original MS. of Louis XI., with alterations by Mr. HENRY IRVING.
Fac-simile of soliloquies inserted by Mr. HENRY IRVING at the places marked Q and * in the preceding page.