Dryden, Amphitryon, Congreve, Love for Love, 3 Plays, 1791, Engravings
Three plays Adapted for theatrical representation, as performed at the Theatres-Royal, Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden. Regulated from the prompt-books, by permission of the managers. London: printed for the proprietors, under the direction of John Bell, British-Library. Strand, Bookseller to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. 1791-1792. Each play has own title page and pagination, bound in one volume.
Hard boards, original leather [some wear, leather crease between front board and spine, boards are attached]; 3.3/4" x 6"; hand-made marbled endpaper, each of three plays has signed in plate ["De Wilde Pinx."] frontispiece by Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832), two additional plates, 142 + 136 + 108 pages, some soiling, last blank page is missing, very good condition.
Contents [three plays]:
"Love for Love" A Comedy by William Congreve, MDCCXCI [1791], copper engraved frontispiece, design by Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832), engraved by William Bromley (1769-1842), signed in plate, printed for Bell, British Library, 10 Apr. 1791; 142 pages.
"The Spanish Fryar: or, the Double Discovery." A Comedy by John Dryden. Copper engraved frontispiece by Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832), engraved by John Corner (active 1787-1825), printed for Bell, British Library, 12 Aug. 1791; 136 pages and one additional copper engraved plate, signed in plate "Wheatley Pinx." (Francis Wheatley, 1747-1801), printed 10 Aug. 1791.
"Amphitryon; or, The Two Socias. A comedy", as altered from Dryden by Dr. Hawkesworth, MDCCXCII [1792]. Hawkesworth, the editor of Cook and Swift, undertook this adaptation of Dryden's text at Garrick's request. Copper engraved frontispiece, signed in plate "De Wilde Pinx." [Samuel De Wilde, 1751-1832], engraved by Philip Audinet (1766-1837); printed for Bell, British Library, Aug. 11th., 1792. 108 pages and one additional engraving, signed in plate "Stodhart Pinx." and "Skelton sculpt." (artist Thomas Stothard, 1755-1834), engraved by William Skelton (1763-1848), printed Aug. 11, 1792.
Summary:
"Love for Love" is a comical farce enlivened by its witty dialogue and its humorous characters, and perhaps more successful in its day than The Way of the World, now considered Congreve's best. The main character is Valentine, then Jeremy, Valentine's resourceful servant; Sir Sampson, with his 'blunt vivacity'; Ben, the rough young sea-dog, who intends to marry whom he chooses; Miss Prue, only too ready to learn the lessons in love given her by Tattle, the vain, half-witted beau, who finds himself married to Mrs. Frail, the lady of easy virtue, when he thinks he has captured Angelica; and Foresight, the gullible old astrologer.
William Congreve (1670-1729) was an English playwright and poet of the Restoration period. He is known for his clever, satirical dialogue and influence on the comedy of manners style of that period. He was also a minor political figure in the British Whig Party.
"The Spanish Fryar" by John Dryden:
Torrismond, though he does not know it, is lawful heir to the throne, and secretly marries the reigning but unlawful queen, who has allowed Torrismond's father, the true king, to be murdered in prison. The sub-plot is dominated by Father Dominic, a monstrous corrupt friar, who pimps for the libertine and whiggish Lorenzo. The latter is a highly dubious character, yet ironically it is through his agency that the lawful Torrismond is rescued. The woman Lorenzo is pursuing turns out to be his sister.
"Amphitryon" by Dryden, produced and first published 1690. Adapted from the comedies of Plautus and Moliere on the same subject, it represents the story of Jupiter's seduction of Alcmena in the guise of her husband Amphitryon. The cruel abuse of mortal love by the gods is in striking contrast to the play's uninhibited eroticism.
Note:
Country restrictions may apply, the lesser expansive Priority shipping may not be available to all countries.
US: Priority (c 2-4 days) ----------- $20.50
Canada: Priority (c 2-7 weeks) -- $39.50
World: Priority (c 2-8 week) ---- $52.50
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Three plays Adapted for theatrical representation, as performed at the Theatres-Royal, Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden. Regulated from the prompt-books, by permission of the managers. London: printed for the proprietors, under the direction of John Bell, British-Library. Strand, Bookseller to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. 1791-1792. Each play has own title page and pagination, bound in one volume.
Hard boards, original leather [some wear, leather crease between front board and spine, boards are attached]; 3.3/4" x 6"; hand-made marbled endpaper, each of three plays has signed in plate ["De Wilde Pinx."] frontispiece by Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832), two additional plates, 142 + 136 + 108 pages, some soiling, last blank page is missing, very good condition.
Contents [three plays]:
"Love for Love" A Comedy by William Congreve, MDCCXCI [1791], copper engraved frontispiece, design by Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832), engraved by William Bromley (1769-1842), signed in plate, printed for Bell, British Library, 10 Apr. 1791; 142 pages.
"The Spanish Fryar: or, the Double Discovery." A Comedy by John Dryden. Copper engraved frontispiece by Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832), engraved by John Corner (active 1787-1825), printed for Bell, British Library, 12 Aug. 1791; 136 pages and one additional copper engraved plate, signed in plate "Wheatley Pinx." (Francis Wheatley, 1747-1801), printed 10 Aug. 1791.
"Amphitryon; or, The Two Socias. A comedy", as altered from Dryden by Dr. Hawkesworth, MDCCXCII [1792]. Hawkesworth, the editor of Cook and Swift, undertook this adaptation of Dryden's text at Garrick's request. Copper engraved frontispiece, signed in plate "De Wilde Pinx." [Samuel De Wilde, 1751-1832], engraved by Philip Audinet (1766-1837); printed for Bell, British Library, Aug. 11th., 1792. 108 pages and one additional engraving, signed in plate "Stodhart Pinx." and "Skelton sculpt." (artist Thomas Stothard, 1755-1834), engraved by William Skelton (1763-1848), printed Aug. 11, 1792.
Summary:
"Love for Love" is a comical farce enlivened by its witty dialogue and its humorous characters, and perhaps more successful in its day than The Way of the World, now considered Congreve's best. The main character is Valentine, then Jeremy, Valentine's resourceful servant; Sir Sampson, with his 'blunt vivacity'; Ben, the rough young sea-dog, who intends to marry whom he chooses; Miss Prue, only too ready to learn the lessons in love given her by Tattle, the vain, half-witted beau, who finds himself married to Mrs. Frail, the lady of easy virtue, when he thinks he has captured Angelica; and Foresight, the gullible old astrologer.
William Congreve (1670-1729) was an English playwright and poet of the Restoration period. He is known for his clever, satirical dialogue and influence on the comedy of manners style of that period. He was also a minor political figure in the British Whig Party.
"The Spanish Fryar" by John Dryden:
Torrismond, though he does not know it, is lawful heir to the throne, and secretly marries the reigning but unlawful queen, who has allowed Torrismond's father, the true king, to be murdered in prison. The sub-plot is dominated by Father Dominic, a monstrous corrupt friar, who pimps for the libertine and whiggish Lorenzo. The latter is a highly dubious character, yet ironically it is through his agency that the lawful Torrismond is rescued. The woman Lorenzo is pursuing turns out to be his sister.
"Amphitryon" by Dryden, produced and first published 1690. Adapted from the comedies of Plautus and Moliere on the same subject, it represents the story of Jupiter's seduction of Alcmena in the guise of her husband Amphitryon. The cruel abuse of mortal love by the gods is in striking contrast to the play's uninhibited eroticism.
Note:
Country restrictions may apply, the lesser expansive Priority shipping may not be available to all countries.
US: Priority (c 2-4 days) ----------- $20.50
Canada: Priority (c 2-7 weeks) -- $39.50
World: Priority (c 2-8 week) ---- $52.50
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
Auction House
