Beschreibung:

The Plays of Shakespeare, in Eight Volumes, with the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added Notes by Sam. Johnson, printed for J. and R. Tonson et al, 1765, half-titles present volumes 3-8, volume 1 with engraved portrait frontispiece (lightly offset to title), titles to all but first volume with ownership name 'Kilworth' dated 1819, occasional staining, volumes 7 and 8 with water-staining and mottling (with some consequent adhesion of endpapers), volume 7 with lower corner torn from rear blank, marbled endpapers and edges, first volume with bookplate of Richard Adams, and armorial bookplate of C. L'Epinasse, each volume with additional armorial bookplate of T.W. Barlow (to front free endpaper in first volume, and on front pastedown in remainder), some splitting to hinges, contemporary marbled calf, slightly rubbed and corners showing, modern rebacks, with gilt lettered red leather label to spines, 8vo The work of Shakespeare figured largely in the life of Richard Adams. He describes in detail some of the performances of Shakespeare plays in the famous open air theatre at Bradfield College during his schooldays. For example, he writes of the school's 1938 production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', "This was my introduction to the... play, and since then I have never seen a production informed by more sheer magic." It was a volume of the complete works of Shakespeare that he took with him to while away a long hot day on anti-aircraft duty during WWII, and to 'Macbeth' that his thoughts turned when his beloved father died: "Thou hast no speculation in those eyes". (Richard Adams, The Day Gone By, An Autobiography, 1990, pages 185, 250, 384). (8)