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The next step is to examine other copies of the book to ascertain whether a fuller form of the name occurs in press variants, variant issues or special copies. As the following instances demonstrate, this appears oftener than might be suspected:

1640	3818	R. C.	Rob. Chamberlain
1620	26041	T.D.	Thomas Dewe
1618	13581	Hen: Far:	Hen: Farley
1640	18948	V. H.	Villiers Harrington
1621	3571	Sir T. H.	Sir Thomas Huet	Pforzheimer
1638	22435	I. K.	Io. Kirke
1623	6015	Ladie P.	Ladie Porditch	Folger
1613	18525	[anon]	T. W.	Harvard
1621	3571	Lady P. W.	Lady Philadelpha Wharton	Pforzheimer

In other instances a fuller form is found in later editions:

1640	10779	Edm. C.	Edm. Calamy
1604	6968	E. C.	Ed. Ch.	?Chetwynd?
1638	4127	W. Gr.	W. Greenhill
1632	12967	St. Hu.	Steph. Hurius, Art. Mag.
1557	24168	Elisabeth P.	Elisabeth Palmel, widow V. M.
1578	1852	R. W.	Richard Wroth

Unhappily this procedure is a two-edged weapon, for instead of the desired completion to the initials, a different copy or edition may reveal a conflicting version. Some are recognizable as corruptions incident to Renaissance reprints:

[1620]	15688	A. R.	In earlier editions: R. A[llot]
1604	13980	T. W.	In earlier editions: W. H[unnis]
1628	5670	C. E.	Other issues, E. C[ooke]

When the alteration occurs within the sheets of a single edition, the

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authentic form can be determined, if at all, only by external evidence or by bibliographical methods beyond the scope of this study:

1616	18909	G. B. de med. Tem. (Folger)	B.G. medij Temp.
				(normal and later editions)
1585	19447	M. A.	A. M.	Variant issues; supposedly Munday
1603	17151	T. M.	C. S.	Latter presumably a correction

When an alteration is made in a later edition one hopes —and sometimes can prove— that the change is a deliberate correction. Since writers on Sir John Harington seem to have overlooked it, this example may be instanced. Epistle v.9 in the third volume of Joseph Hall's Epistles (1611-12662) is addressed to S. H. I., although the context suggests that the form should be S. I. H[arington]. In fact, Harington's name is substituted in the next printing (1614-12706). But usually when a change is made in a later edition, one must weigh distasteful alternatives: an authorized correction or a reprint corruption?

1602	1666	A. F.	J. F.	in STC 1665
1619	1547	H. P.	P. H.	in later editions
1613	6611	B. R.	R. R.	in later editions
1618	12747	P. T.	P. S.	in later editions
1584	21483	D. S.	R. C.	unrecorded issue at Lambeth
1608	19057	B. P.	W. P.	in STC 19081 (a reprint)

Furthermore, some of the reversed initials discussed later may in fact be simple typographical errors.

From time to time one encounters initials that have been completed, altered or cancelled in manuscript —a sight likely to impress beginners. Examples may be cited of all degrees of authenticity or dubiety. Since each instance must be judged individually with a discipline involving paleography, I am reluctantly obliged to bypass this interesting field.