The History of King Lear
The History of King Lear is an adaptation by Nahum Tate of William Shakespeare's "King Lear". It first appeared in 1681, some seventy-five years after Shakespeare's version, and is believed to have replaced Shakespeare's version on the English stage in whole or in part until 1838.
King Lear
In the early 18th century, some writers began to express objections to this (and other) Restoration adaptations of Shakespeare. For example, in "The Spectator" on 16 April 1711 Joseph Addison wrote ""King Lear" is an admirable Tragedy ... as "Shakespeare" wrote it; but as it is reformed according to the chymerical Notion of poetical Justice in my humble Opinion it hath lost half its Beauty." Yet on the stage, Tate's version prevailed.