THEATER/THEATRE
THEATER/THEATRE
MAGNIFIQUE 
(A
Monument of FRENCH Theatre). Racine, Jean.
Oeuvres de Jean Racine. Paris: Pierre Didot l'aîné, 1801. Folio
extra (50 cm, 19.75"). 3 vols. I: Frontis., [8], 466, [2] pp.; 23 plts. II: [4],
500, [2] pp.; 25 plts. III: [4], 416 pp.; 8 plts.
Click any image for enlargement. 
three elephant folio, illustrated volumes that include his verse, letters, and plays. This deluxe edition was limited to 250 sets on paper (plus one additional copy printed on vellum). Produced by the renowned Didot press and part of the prestigious collection known as the Éditions du Louvre, this work is a monument of typography; Brunet extols it as “un des livres les plus magnifiques que la typographie d'aucun pays eut encore produits,” while Graesse confines himself to a mere “magnifique.” 
Signed Binding: Contemporary red straight-grain morocco, covers framed in substantial gilt and blind-tooled rolls with gilt-stamped corner fleurons, surrounding central gilt-stamped medallions of the French imperial eagle. Spines gilt extra in arabesque and foliate motifs with additional blind-tooling; board edges gilt-stamped and turn-ins with wide gilt rolls. All edges gilt. 
Bindings signed by Charles Hering — one of the most prominent English binders of the early 19th century.
This classic French author is here presented with classic French illustration of the era in a limited edition from a classic French printer/publisher in a classic French binding — at least, it's a “five-fer”! (24990)
Shakespeare Riots in
Old New York Account of the terrific and fatal riot at the New-York Astor Place Opera House, on the night of May 10th, 1849; with the quarrels of Forrest and Macready, including all the causes which led to that awful tragedy! Wherein an infuriated mob was quelled by the public authorities and military, with its mournful termination in the sudden death or mutilation of more than fifty citizens, with full and authentic particulars. New York: H. M. Ranney, 1849. 8vo. 32 pp.
Hard to believe, but true.
Illustrated with a frontispiece image (repeated on back wrapper) showing the mob scene in front of the Astor Place Opera House, engraved by W.N. Dunnel. Includes eyewitness testimonies and lists of the killed and wounded.
Provenance: Rubber-stamped “Property of E.A. Cruikshank” on the title-page and on the inside of the back wrapper.
• Sewn, in original printed wrappers; edge chipping, back wrapper separated, small dark spot on front wrapper. Some dog-earing and ragged lower edges. Good+. (24589)
NOT Your Best Copy — Interesting Reading, However!(Aged Player). An apology for the conduct of Mr. Charles Macklin, comedian; which, it is hoped, will have some effect in favour of an aged player, by whom the public at large have for many years been uncommonly gratified. London: Sold by T. Axtell; J. Swan, 1773. 8vo. [4], 38 pp. (lacks frontis.). 
Click either image for an enlargement. • ESTC T22230. Rebound in quarter library cloth, front and back covers pressure-stamped by a now-defunct library, front cover with paper shelving label. Hinges (inside) starting. Title-page and p. 37 with perforation stamp, pp. 23 and 35 with rubber-stamp, title-page with paper remnants adhered at top margin, rear free endpaper with library charge pocket. Title-leaf separated and chipped, with loss of three letters from the title and several letters from the imprint. Pages 1–6 with tear in lower inner margin and slightly separating. Front free endpaper loose and chipped. Title-leaf browned, p. 1 soiled at top margin, light stain on p. 36, soiling on p. 38. Pages 29-30 soiled, missing some paper in fore-margin, and creased from folding of one corner. Final two leaves with very small dog-ears. Lacks the frontispiece. Toned. (10352)
UncommonAMERICAN
Tragedy
Bailey, John J. Waldimar. A tragedy, in five acts.
New York: [Pr. by J. Van Norden?], 1834. 8vo (24 cm, 9.4"). 124, [2], 6 pp. 
• Sabin 2736. Publisher's textured cloth, front with gilt-stamped title, greatly faded with extremities rubbed and worn, spine with paper shelving label and some loss of cloth. Title-page and some others lightly stamped by a now-defunct institution. Two short edge tears, some corners slightly crumpled.
Observant & ThoughtfulBarrow, William. An essay on education; in which are particularly considered the merits and the defects of the discipline and instruction in our academies ... the second edition, corrected and enlarged. London: Pr. for F. & C. Rivington by Bye & Law, 1804. 12mo (17.2 cm, 6.75"). 2 vols. I: xxiv, 342, [2 (1 adv.)]
pp. II: iv, 412 pp.
dramatic performances in schools (ill-advised and likely to lead to undesirable results, according to the author) and the state of English universities.
Click the interior image for an enlargement. • NSTC B758. Contemporary half calf with marbled paper–covered sides, spines with later gilt-stamped leather labels; spines slightly darkened, corners and spine extremities rubbed. Pencilled bracketing and marks of emphasis; some light to moderate foxing.
Um
. . . A Merrie Tale?
Bickerstaff's unburied dead. A moral drama. As acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincoln's-Inn Fields. London: Pr. for J. Watts and sold by B. Dod, 1743. 8vo. [4] ff., 32 pp. 
• Ex-defunct library with faint stamps. Sewn as issued; wrappers no longer present. A very few small chips. (1466)
Adapted
from the
French
& Printed
in Dublin
Boissy, M. de [Louis]. False appearances; a comedy. Altered from the French, and performed at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. By the Right. Hon. General Conway. Dublin: Pr. for Messrs. Chamberlaine, Gilbert, Byrne, etc., 1789. 12mo. viii pp., [2] ff., 63, [1 (blank)] pp.
• Removed from a nonce volume and now in recent marbled paper wrappers. One page very faintly stamped by now-defunct library; author’s prologue (one page) shaved at bottom, losing one line.
Political /Jurisprudential / Theatrical SATIRE [Broome, Ralph]. Letters from Simpkin the second to his dear brother in Wales, containing an humble description of the trial of William Hastings, Esq. with Simon's answer. Dublin: P. Byrne & J. Moore, 1788. 8vo (18.5 cm, 7.25"). 46 pp. (lacking half-title). 
Click the images for enlargements. • ESTC N2497. Recent marbled-paper wrappers, front wrapper with paper title label. Lacking half-title. Title-page with lower corner neatly off, otherwise in excellent, clean condition. (3247)
Why Believers Believed . . .Chalmers, George. An apology for the believers in the Shakspeare-papers, which were exhibited in Norfolk-Street. London: Thomas Egerton, 1797. 8vo (21.2 cm, 8.4"). iv, 628 pp.; 1 plt.
Single-click
the image where the hand appears on• ESTC T138271; Lowndes, II, 404; Allibone, 2036. Recent quarter morocco over marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped title and gilt-stamped decorations in compartments. Title-page and a few others stamped by a now-defunct institution; pages slightly age-toned, one with pencilled underlining/emphasis.
Why the Believers Believed — A SupplementChalmers, George. A supplemental apology for the believers in the Shakspeare-papers: Being a reply to Mr. Malone’s answer, which was early announced, but never published. London: Thomas Egerton, 1799. 8vo (21.2 cm, 8.4"). vii, 654, [2] pp.
Single-click the image where the hand appears on• ESTCT61515; Allibone, 2036; Lowndes, II, 404. Recent quarter morocco over marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped title and gilt-stamped decorations in compartments. Title-page and a few others stamped by a now-defunct institution; pages age-toned.
A
CURIOUSManuscript
Playlet — The Lovers
(China, Really? Not
Hardly!). Anonymous. Manuscript, "The Lovers, A
Tragedy in Five Acts. Founded on an incident in Eastern History." On paper,
in English. [Philadelphia?, ca. 1830]. Folio (32 cm, 12.5"), 14 ff. (12.5 written
on). 
The play's length is that of a "filler" piece in a jam-packed 19th-century theatrical night of three or four plays (or parts thereof) and other "entertainments"—or, the length of a school or home production. 
The style is distinctly amateur/naive. E.g., the euphonious exotic names are far from consistently Chinese and one character is "carried [from his 'chinese cottage'] to the ganges"; the author confuses exit and exeunt ("Exeunt Priest")—we wonder if this blithe vagueness as to geography and world cultures, and the seeming lack of even basic classical education, suggest a lively-minded and enthusiastically play-going but unrigorously schooled female writer?
Provenance: Gift inscription: "Horace W. Smith, Esq. to W.W., 1863." A pencil note says "By J. Howard Payne in his handwriting, W.W."—but the handwriting does not match that of Payne's MSS. at Yale and Brown Universities.
• First leaf dust-soiled and now separated. Edges of some leaves chipped costing a few letters and, very rarely, an entire word; lost letters and words are easily supplied by context. Comfortable, for working with.
First Edition
Cibber, Colley. Perolla and Izadora. A tragedy, as it was acted at the Theatre Royal, by Her Majesty’s servants. London: Pr. for Bernard Lintott, 1706. 4to. [3] ff., 64 pp.
• Disbound and now in a Mylar folder. Lacking title-page, opening with dedication. Repairs to inner margins of several pages occasionally touching text, with small tears remaining on first and last leaves.
For
more COLLEY CIBBER, review our
Illustrations
& Design by
T.M.
Cleland
Congreve, William. The way of the world. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1959. Small folio. [1 (blank)] p., [1 (blank)] f., [1], illus. double-spread title-page, [1], vii–xxiii, [1], 108, [2 (1 blank)] pp., [1 (blank)] f., [1 (blank)] p.; illus.
T.M. Cleland illustrated the book with 16 hand-colored drawings of actors in period costume performing scenes from the play; he also designed it, choosing a monotype Janson font and a full maroon linen binding elaborately and charmingly blind-embossed on both covers. A contrastingly simple black leather spine label is stamped in gold with author and title.
This offering includes the monthly newsletter and mailing notice. T.M. Cleland signs the colophon.
• Limited Editions Club, Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by The Limited Editions Club, 1929–1985, 301. A fine copy with the slipcase.
Bridgewater
Library Set
Corneille, Pierre. Le theatre de P. Corneille. Paris: Gandouin, 1738. 8vo. 5 vols. in 6. 
• Contemporary calf. Gilt spines, rebacked and original spines reapplied. Spines very dry, chipped with some loss and lacking title labels, but with new volume labels.
“Well . . . What says my Daughter?” Cumberland, Richard. The brothers. A comedy, as it is performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. London: W. Griffin, 1770. 8vo. v, [3], 72 pp.
surely-emblematic title vignette of a ship about to be wrecked on a rocky coast engraved by J. Taylor after the drawing of A. Alcock.
• Very good; disbound from a nonce volume with signatures starting to separate. One page faintly stamped by a now-defunct library. (1478)
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