Twenty of the plays of Shakespeare : being the whole number printed in quarto during his life-time, or before the Restoration / collated where there were different copies, and publish'd from the originals, by George Steevens, Esq., in four volumes.

Twenty of the plays of Shakespeare : being the whole number printed in quarto during his life-time, or before the Restoration / collated where there were different copies, and publish'd from the originals, by George Steevens, Esq., in four volumes.

Works. Selections. 1766

London : Printed for J. and R. Tonson, in the Strand; T. Payne, at the Mews-gate, Castle-Street; and W. Richardson, in Fleet-Street, MDCCLXVI [1766]

4 v. ; 21 cm (8vo)

This is the small paper issue, where the text-block is approximately 2.8 cm thick. Twelve copies were also issued on heavy paper, cataloged separately, where the text-block is approximately 4.1 cm thick.

Each volume with a general and volume title page, each play with an individual play title page. The whole set is unpaginated.

v. 1. A midsommer nights dreame, 1600 ; A pleasant comedy of the merry wiues of Windsor, 1619 ; The merry wiues of Windsor, 1630 ; Much adoe about nothing, 1600 ; The comicall history of the merchant of Venice, 1600 ; Loues labour's lost, 1631
v. 2. The taming of the shrew, 1631 ; The history of King Lear, 1608 ; The troublesome raigne of King Iohn, in two parts, 1611 ; The tragedie of Richard the Second, 1615 ; The historie of Henry the Fourth, 1613 ; The second part of Henry the Fourth, 1600
v. 3. The chronicle history of Henry the Fift, 1608 ; The contention of the two famous houses of Lancaster and Yorke, in two parts, (no date) ; The tragedie of Richard the Third, 1612 ; The most lamentable tragedie of Titus Andronicus, 1611 ; The history of Troylus and Cresseida, 1609
v. 4. The most excellent tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet, 1597 ; The most lamentable tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet, 1609 ; The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke, 1611 ; The tragedy of Othello, the Moore of Venice, 1622 ; Shakespeares sonnets and Louers complaint, 1609 ; The history of King Leir and his three daughters, 1605.

copy 2 v.1-4
copy 4 v.1-4
copy 6 v.1

English short title catalogue (ESTC), T140378
Jaggard, W. Shakespeare bibliography, p. 501-502

Great Britain -- England -- London.

PR2752 1766c copy 2 Sh.Col.

In manuscript: "[Fran.?] Humphrey, from the Editor." Bookplate: "From the library of Charles Dickens, Gadshill Place, June, 1879." Slip inserted following endpaper in v.1, in ms: "This volume was the personal property of Charles Dickens." Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Wing in memory of Miss Jessie E. Wing, January 13, 1943. Bound in calf with gold tooling on the spine and red leather labels, and marbled endpapers.

1.13.43

PR2752 1766c copy 3 Sh.Col.

Some pencil manuscript markings. Bookseller's description removed to Curatorial file. Bound in speckled calf with gilt tooled edges and spine, red and green leather spine labels, and marbled endpapers. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger.

cs170

PR2752 1766c copy 4 Sh.Col.

Armorial bookplate (motto: Gradatim vincimus) of William Curtis; bookplate: "from the library of Algernon Charles Swinburne." Bound in speckled calf with gilt tooled spine and red and green leather spine labels; c.3-4 lacking front boards. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger.

cs695

PR2752 1766c copy 5 Sh.Col.

Half bound in calf with marbled paper boards. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger.

cs619

PR2752 1766c copy 6 Sh.Col.

Autograph: Wm. Wheeley. Bound in calf with gilt tooled spine and red and black leather spine labels. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger.

cs1314

PR2752 1766c copy 7 Sh.Col.

Plays bound separately in 16 volumes. Imperfect: lacking Midsummer night's dream; Merry wives; Merchant of Venice; Love's labour's lost; Taming of the shrew; and Richard II. Ink manuscript annotations. Bookplate: Shakespeare Library, Warwick Castle. Half leather bindings with marbled paper boards and endpapers. Halliwell-Phillips copy.

No case or acc. number present