first edition
1781 · London
by SHERIDAN, RICHARD BRINSLEY
London: Printed for T. Becket, 1781. One of the first five editions printed in 1781. 205 x 130 mm. (8 x 5"). 4 p.l., 98 pp. (without the half title and the ad leaf at back, both almost always missing).
Pleasing 19th century calf, the spine gilt in compartments with raised bands and burgundy morocco labels, the covers double-ruled in gilt with delicate floral cornerpieces, turn-ins gilt tooled, all edges gilt. Title with an engraved vignette of two masks. Williams, pp. 222-23; Day, "History of English Literature 1660-1837," pp. 192-94. â—†Joints somewhat rubbed (front joint cracked), title mounted on stub, title and adjacent pages with minor foxing, other minor imperfections, but quite clean and fresh internally.
This is a play that satirically captures the flavor of the late 18th century London stage, written by Irish-born Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (1751-1816), who grew up in a theatrical family in Dublin and went on to become one of the most respected writers of the London stage at the end of the 18th century. As playwright and manager at Drury Lane, he became known for his wit, blending humor with sharp political and social observations. His success grew beyond the stage; in the 1780s, he began a career in Parliament, and was a close personal friend of the Prince of Wales. First performed in 1779, "The Critic" parodies Sheridan's contemporaries, both writers and journalists, for their overblown, sentimental tastes. At the same time, the play betrays Sheridan's deep affection for the theatre and its denizens. Day says that "the Green Room and the entire theatrical world of the age come to life in this delightful lampoon. With all the ludicrous characters and hilarious mishaps, the 'theatre' in all its fascination shines magnificently. Even when its targets are long forgotten, this pillorying of the woeful author and the benighted (but devastatingly self-assured) critic is still successful in 20th-century revivals." "The Critic" was initially published in 1781; the present volume is one of the first five editions printed that year, although it is difficult to determine which, since (as in most copies) this volume lacks the half title that distinguishes the editions. Our copy does have the large "J" in the catchword on page 4, which Williams suggests might give it priority.. (Inventory #: ST12849g)
Pleasing 19th century calf, the spine gilt in compartments with raised bands and burgundy morocco labels, the covers double-ruled in gilt with delicate floral cornerpieces, turn-ins gilt tooled, all edges gilt. Title with an engraved vignette of two masks. Williams, pp. 222-23; Day, "History of English Literature 1660-1837," pp. 192-94. â—†Joints somewhat rubbed (front joint cracked), title mounted on stub, title and adjacent pages with minor foxing, other minor imperfections, but quite clean and fresh internally.
This is a play that satirically captures the flavor of the late 18th century London stage, written by Irish-born Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (1751-1816), who grew up in a theatrical family in Dublin and went on to become one of the most respected writers of the London stage at the end of the 18th century. As playwright and manager at Drury Lane, he became known for his wit, blending humor with sharp political and social observations. His success grew beyond the stage; in the 1780s, he began a career in Parliament, and was a close personal friend of the Prince of Wales. First performed in 1779, "The Critic" parodies Sheridan's contemporaries, both writers and journalists, for their overblown, sentimental tastes. At the same time, the play betrays Sheridan's deep affection for the theatre and its denizens. Day says that "the Green Room and the entire theatrical world of the age come to life in this delightful lampoon. With all the ludicrous characters and hilarious mishaps, the 'theatre' in all its fascination shines magnificently. Even when its targets are long forgotten, this pillorying of the woeful author and the benighted (but devastatingly self-assured) critic is still successful in 20th-century revivals." "The Critic" was initially published in 1781; the present volume is one of the first five editions printed that year, although it is difficult to determine which, since (as in most copies) this volume lacks the half title that distinguishes the editions. Our copy does have the large "J" in the catchword on page 4, which Williams suggests might give it priority.. (Inventory #: ST12849g)