THEOBALD, Lewis, best known as an editor of Shak-
speare, was the son of an attorney practising at Sittingbourne
in Kent. His grammatical learning he received at Isle-
worth in Middlesex, and was originally destined for his father's
profession; but this he speedily abandoned for the
profession of an author, and having fixed his residence in
the metropolis, he engaged in a variety of literary under-
takings. To Mist's Weekly Journal he contributed a paper
called "The Censor;" and his censures being pronounced
with great freedom, gave no small offence to some writers
more formidable than himself. One of those whom he pro-
voked was the rabid Dennis. Pope's translation of Homer
he at first extolled, and afterwards abused. He was the
original hero of the Dunciad, but was displaced to make
room for Cibber, to whom the poet's satire is in many in-
stances inapplicable. Theobald endeavoured to avenge
himself by publishing "Shakespeare restored; or, a Specimen
of the many Errors as well committed as unannounced
by Mr Pope in his edition of this poet, designed not only to
correct the said edition, but to restore the true Reading of
Shakespeare in all the Editions ever yet published." Lond.
1726, 4to. This prelude was after a considerable inter-
val followed by his edition of Shakespeare's Works, Lond.
1733, 7 vols. 8vo. In 1726 he had introduced on the stage
"The double Falsehood, or, the distrest Lovers;" of which,
as he averred, the greater part was written by Shakespeare.
His arguments in favour of this hypothesis were not con-
sidered as satisfactory; and, according to the opinion of Dr
Farmer, this drama was the production of Shirley. Theobald
was the author or translator of twenty plays, enum-
erated in the Biographia Dramatica, vol. i. p. 706. He was
likewise concerned in various translations; and at the time
of his death he had made some progress in an edition of
Beaumont and Fletcher. He died in the month of Sep-
tember 1744.