The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Comprising His Plays, and Poems, with Dr. Johnson's Preface. A Glossary, an Account of Each Play, and a Memoir of the Author

This specific edition, digitized from the University of Michigan's collection, represents a mid-19th-century effort to consolidate Shakespeare's entire dramatic and poetic output into a singular, comprehensive volume. During this period, publishers frequently sought to make the Bard's work accessible to the burgeoning Victorian middle class by pairing the text with established scholarly apparatus, such as Samuel Johnson's seminal 1765 preface, which helped cement Shakespeare's reputation as a cornerstone of English literature.

The inclusion of glossaries, play summaries, and biographical memoirs reflects the editorial focus of the era, which prioritized pedagogical utility and reader guidance. These editions were designed for the home library, aiming to provide a complete literary reference for families. While the specific layout and typography were typical of high-volume nineteenth-century British and American printing houses, the collection remains a significant example of how Shakespeare's legacy was packaged and transmitted to the public during the Victorian period.