Descrizione

An extensive collection of plays, presented largely as "acted at the Theatres Royal Drury Lane and Covent Garden", between 1775 and 1780 and bound as one volume. Contents includes: - Cleonice, Princess of Bithynia, John Hoole, T Evans 1775, 76pp - Oroonoko, A Tragedy, Thomas Southern, J Wenman 1778, 20pp - The Fair Penitent, Nicholas Rowe, J Wenman 1777, 18pp (lacks title) - The Earl Of Essex, Henry Jones, Harrison & Co 1779, 14pp - Othello, Shakespeare, Harrison & Co, 1780, 22pp - The Orphan, Or, The Unhappy Marriage, Thomas Otway, J Wenman 1777, 20pp - Phaedra And Hippolitus, Edmund Smith, J Wenman 1777, 15pp - King Richard III, Shakespeare, J Wenman 1778, 19pp - A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare, J Wenman 1780, 19pp - The Rehearsal, George late Duke of Buckingham, J Wenman 1777, 19pp - The Constant Couple, Or, A Trip To The Jubilee, Mr Farquhar, J Wenman 1777, 23pp - The Committee, Or, The Faithful Irishman, Sir R Howard, Harrison & Co 1779, 21pp - The Drummer, [Addsion], J Wenman 1777, 18pp [lacks title] - The Orators, Samuel Foote, J Wenman, 1777, 13pp - Sir John Cockle At Court, R Dodsley, [lacks title] - The Minor, Samuel Foote, J Wenman 1778, 14pp And bound to the rear without titles but of a similar vintage and likely published by Wenman, The Stage-Coach (Mr Farquhar); Chrononhotonthologos (Harry Carey); Taste (Samuel Foote); Arcadia; Orpheus And Eurydice; and Deborah, A Sacred Drama. All in general good order with some marking and toning and occasional minor loss. Some pages have been trimmed by the original binder very tightly to text, but are still readable. Most plays printed with title page, some with frontispiece of a principal character and a list of dramatis personae. The imprint of J Wenman is scarce and seems to be the first appearance in print of a number of these works. The 23 plays (and one title page from an absent work) were originally bound as a set in a single volume by 1810 at the latest and owned thus by J Brooks and later Thomas Stevens of Bradfield, Berkshire and founder of Bradfield College. Boards from original binding attest to this and will be supplied. Smart marbled paper-covered boards with half dark red calf leather and gilt on red titling to spine compartments. 8vo.