BOYLE, ROGER, [EARL OF ORRERY]
Folio, now rebound in 3/4 morocco with marbled paper insets. pp, [ii], 61, [1], [v], 57, [ii]. The spine has six compartmets with two lettered in gilt on a red backing. A very solid copy of this very scarce early edition. On the verso of the title page is a long hand-written quote from the Diary's of Samuel Pepys where he discusses seeing the plays in question and offers some insights. This quote is signed by James Reid. Some of this writing is visible from the title page. Two pages later there appears the "Dramatis Persona" listing the characters, as well as the actors who appeared at the Theatre-Royal production of "The Black Prince." The lead female role was played by Nell Gwynn (spelled here as Guinn) famously known as a mistress of King Charles II. A secondary actress in the list is that of Mary Knepp (spelled here as Nepp), who was a mistress of the afore mentioned Samuel Pepys. There are very brief marginal notations in the same hand as the above mentioned Pepys quote, next to the actors names, providing the amorous details. "The Black Prince" is notable as being one of the earliest plays to be written in heroic rhymed couplets. Wing - 502.
Folio, [10],1-11, [12, 13 mis-numbered as 6,3], 14-30, [31 mis-numbered as 13], 32-88 pp. Top edge trimmed with no loss. Also, and not to be forgiven, Jonson is spelled "Johnson" on the title page. A rather imfamous publication as Jonson was trying to add three additional plays, Bartholomew Fair, The Devil Is An Ass, and The Staple of News, to the already published "Workes" (1616). These plays were to be issued by I.B. (John Beale) for Robert Allot. When Jonson saw the printed publications he was appalled at the poor quality and execution by Beale and aborted the project. The plays finally appeared in the 1640 Collected Works. The plays were never sold, or at least there is no record of such, but were probably distributed. The copy offered here has been re-bound in the 20th century in 1/4 leather with marbled boards. The leather spine is without text. On the front paste-down is the book-plate of George Speight. George Victor Speight (1914-2005), was a theatre historian, author, performer, bibliophile, and an authority on puppets, puppetry and mechanical toy theatre. In this original text, "Puppets" are listed in "The Persons Of The Play." From the Induction scene Jonson writes (I will use the text here as written) "Hee is loth to make Nature afraid in like Drolleries, to mixe his head with other mens heeles, let the concupisence of jigges and Dances, raigne strong as it will amongst you : yet if the Puppets will please any body, they shall be entreated to come in." Act V, scenes 1 - 3 are concerned with the puppet show - those looking forward to it and those opposed. In any case, we can see why Mr. Speight was intrigued with this title and wanted it added to his collection. "Bartholmew Fayre" is an important play, commonly regarded as among Jonson's best and, because of the tortured publishing history, extremely scarce in this edition. This is a clean bright and solid copy. Besides the pagination errors and the trimming along the top edge, there are only minor problems; two small holes (pp. 11 and 38), likely caused by glowing embers from a pipe. OCLC lists 11 copies. Pforzheimer - 560. STC - 14755 (14754*). Near Fine.
Original black cloth, lettered and decorated in gilt to the front panel and spine. 8vo - 358,[2] pp. The Introduction by Le Fanu's son, Brinsley Le Fanu, explains the rather complicated publishing history of this novel. The introduction is dated 1895 but the Crawford bibliography states 1896. My copy of "Ireland in Fiction", by Stephen J. Brown, S.J., 1919, page 165, gives the date as 1895. This illustrated edition tells the story of love denied, a young couple of mixed means and social/religious standing face cruel bigoted opposition and criminal obstruction. A very nice copy, solid and bright. Some minor mottling to the rear board. Illustrated title page. Very Good.