The Plays of William Shakespeare in Ten Volumes. With the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators; To Which are Added Notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The Second Edition, Revised and Augmented. London: C. Bathurst, 1778. [Together with] Supplement to the Edition of Shakespeare's Plays Published in 1778 by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. In Two Volumes. [...]. London: C. Bathurst, 1780.
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A remarkable set of Shakespeare's works, the important Samuel Johnson edition, complete with the very scarce two volume supplement which was published two years afterwards. Here beautifully presented in contemporary fine bindings, all matching, including the supplemental volumes, finely decorated in gilt to the spines in a manner emblematic of the George III period.
This set is exceptionally comprehensive, including many plays which are no longer attributed to Shakespeare as well as lots of others of his works which are not usually found in such sets, such as the Puritan, the Rape of Lucrece, Venus and Adonis, and even his complete Sonnets, which are very rare to encounter in early printed sets of Shakespeare. Indeed, this is one of the most excellent printed sets of Shakespeare's works, and represents a highlight in early Shakespearean scholarship.
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This set includes: The Tempest; The Two Gentlemen of Verona; The Merry Wives of Windsor; Measure for Measure; The Comedy of Errors; Much Ado About Nothing; Love's Labour Lost; A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Merchant of Venice; As You Like It; The Taming of the Shrew; All's Well that Ends Well; Twelfth Night; The Winter's Tale; Macbeth; King John; King Richard II; King Henry IV Part I; King Henry IV Part II; King Henry V; King Henry VI Part I; King Henry VI Part II; King Henry VI Part III; King Richard III; King Henry VIII; Coriolanus; Julius Caesar; Antony and Cleopatra; Timon of Athens; Titus Andronicus; Troilus and Cressida; Cymbeline; King Lear; Romeo and Juliet; Hamlet; Othello; Advertisements; Additional Observations; Venus and Adonis; The Rape of Lucrece; Sonnets; The Passionate Pilgrim; A Lover's Complaint; Pericles; Locrine; Sir John Oldcastle; Lord Cromwell; The London Prodigal; The Puritan; A Yorkshire Tragedy; Appendix.
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Size: 145 x 230 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
Uniform contemporary full calf bindings, spines finely decorated in gilt. Bindings rubbed with spines sunned, but remaining a very attractive set on the shelf indeed. Joints rubbed, some starting or cracked, the front board of volume ten is detached, but all others are securely attached. The bindings are secure and without shelf lean. Top page edges are uniformly dulled as typical, else very good. There are some lovely gilt turn-ins, with each binding retaining its original marbled endpapers. Bookplate of Charles Lambert to the front pastedown of some, but not all, volumes. Some minor foxing to endpapers, with the text occasionally offset in places as often. Some foxing throughout, but generally very clean, bright and fully legible, the full text without loss of sense. A remarkable set, finely presented and exceptionally complete with all volumes present.
[OCLC 1038125091].
