Beschreibung:

SHAKESPEARE, William (1654-1616)]. The Fairy-Queen: An opera. Represented at the Queen's-Theatre by Their Majesties servants . Adaptated by [?] Elkanah Settle (1648-1724). London: for Jacob Tonson, 1692. 4° (208 x 146mm). (Spotted, upper margins shaved affecting some headings and running titles, E1 and E4 with paper fault at lower margin, lower margin of G2 shaved with partial loss of catch-word on recto, without the initial [?] blank.) Late 19th-century morocco-backed cloth, gilt spine longitudinally lettered and dated between two raised bands, red speckled edges. FIRST EDITION of this operatic version of A Midsummer Night's Dream containing four musical interludes, with dances; the music was composed by Purcell. This is one of two issues, which differ only in the preliminary leaves, the present issue having A1 'probably blank' as Bartlett states, A2 title, A3 Preface, A4 Prologue with 'Names of the Persons' on verso. The original text was first printed by James Roberts in 1600. Bartlett 179; Jaggard p. 409; Wing S-2681. The Tempest, or the Enchanted Island. A comedy as it is now acted at His Highness the Duke of York's Theatre . Adapted by Sir William Davenant (1606-1668) and John Dryden (1631-1700). London: by J. Macock for Henry Herringman, 1676. 4° (219 x 151mm). (Washed, lower outer corners of first gathering cropped away, D1-2 and E2 a little tattered at lower corner, a few residual soil marks, without final blank M2.) Late 19th-century red half morocco. spine lettered longitudinally in gilt and dated at foot, comb-marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Third edition of this adaptation, first performed 7 November 1667 at Lincoln's Inn Fields, and the first version to be separately printed. Both the second and third edition include alterations by Shadwell. The original play, though the last to be written by Shakespeare, occupied first place in the 1623 folio. Jaggard p. 463; MacDonald 73c; Wing S-2946A. (2)