A Complete History of the English Stage. Introduced by a comparative and comprehensive review of the Asiatic, the Grecian, the Roman, the Spanish, the Italian, the Portugese, the German, the French, and Other Theatres, and involving Biographical Tracts and Anecdotes.... London: Printed for the Author, [1797-1800].
First edition.
Five octavo volumes, complete. Bound in contemporary three-quarter purple levant morocco over marbled boards, spines tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments, five raised bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Mild rubbing to spine and edges, slight intermittent foxing in text (minor for this book). A near fine set.
For the decades following publication this exhaustive history of the English theater was the standard work; it is the only edition ever published. Complete sets are scarce and will become increasingly so.
Arnott & Robinson 846
ID:
3042
$
5,500