Shakespeare's dictionary is a possibility that makes me look up

Claims that a rediscovered copy of John Baret's Quadruple Dictionarie belonged to the playwright are unproven but very exciting

If ever there was a claim which I would love to see be proved true, it is this one. In time for Shakespeare's 450th birthday marked on Wednesday with a wealth of quizzes and "10 things you didn't know about"s and idiotic "Shakespeare would have liked Twitter" press releases rare booksellers in New York have announced that they believe they have purchased the playwright's own dictionary.

Before we go into the whys and wherefores of it all: just imagine if it turns out to be true. Shakespeare's dictionary! It doesn't seem possible; it makes him seem all too human.

Continue reading...