The Shakespeare Society was active 1841-52, led by eminent Shakespearean scholars ot the period including John Payne Collier and Alexander Dyce. Its publications endeavoured to investigate Shakespeare in his context, including other contemporary authors and playwrights, and the sources for his plots. The Society published 48 volumes, and the full set was acquired for the Royal Library in December 1864.

This 22nd volume is an edition of ‘The Ghost of Richard the Third,’ which was originally printed in 1614. In this reprinting Collier argues that it was heavily influenced by Shakespeare’s Richard III, composed c.1592-4 and first published in 1597.