book(theatrical scripts collected in a book);
print;
illustrated book
- Museum number
- 1864,0213.203-252
- Description
-
Reid 4843. Volume 2 of 'The London Stage.' a compilation of scripts of plays performed at the Theatre Royal.
In a tree calf binding with "London Stage 2" lettered on the spine.
A table of contents is pasted inside the front cover which also states that the book comes with portraits of: "Mr Kemble, Mr Liston, Mr Mathews, Mr Harley, Mr Sapio, Miss Foote, Madame Vestris."
The frontispiece represents bust length portraits of those actors named in decorative oval frames with G. Kemble at the centre, their names inscribed below. Lettered at the foot of the page: "Theatrical portraits. Published Oct 1st 1825 for the Prop rs of "The London Stage" by Sherwood Jones & Co. Paternoster Row." and "Second Group" at the top-right hand corner of the page.
With a title-page illustration by George Cruikshank. Reid 3429. An ornamental border to the title the figure of Tragedy in a niche to the left, another of Comedy on the right, the royal arms at the top, and the intervening spaces filled with scrolls; a lyre forms the centre at bottom. Lettered at the centre of the design:
"The London Stage; A collection of the most reputed tragedies, comedies, operas, melo-dramas [sic], farces and interludes. Accurately printed from acting copies as performed at the Theatres Royal and carefully collated and revised. Vol II. London: Published for the proprietors by Sherwood, Jones and Co, Paternoster Row; and Sold by all booksellers." At the foot of the page: Gye and Balne, Typ.
Each script has a wood engraved vignette illustration beneath the title (See below for a list of contents below.)
1825
A compilation of theatrical scripts in letterpress with wood engraved illustrations.
Contents:
1. 'The Belle's Strategem. A comedy in five acts.' -By Mrs Cowley. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2; with Rococo interior.
2. 'Cato; A tragedy in five acts.' -By Joseph Addison. Illustration from Act IV- Scene 1.
3. 'The provoked husband; or, a journey to London: A comedy in five acts.' -By Vanburgh and Cibber. Illustration from Act V- Scene 2.
4. 'George Barnwell; A tragedy, in five acts.' -By George Lillo. Illustration from Act IV- Scene 2. Inscribed "I. Byfield."
5. 'A tale of mystery; a melodrama in two acts.' -By Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act II. Scene 2.
6. 'The farm house; a farce in three acts.' -By John Philip Kemble. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1.
7. 'Venice preserved; a tragedy in five acts.' By Thomas Otway. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2.
8. Reid 3434. 'The dragon of Wantley; A burlesque opera in three acts.' By H. Carey (To which is added the old ballad on which it is founded.) Illustration from Act III. Scene 1.
9. 'The liar; a farce in two acts.' -By Samuel Foote. Illustration from Act II. Scene 4.
10. 'The wonder: A woman keeps a secret! A comedy, in five acts.'- By Mrs Centlivre. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2.
11. 'Isabella; or, the fatal marriage: A tragedy in five acts.' -By Thomas Southern. Illustration from Act IV. Scene II.
12. 'All in the wrong: A comedy in five acts.' By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
13. 'Rosina; an opera. In two acts.'- By Mrs Brooke. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
14. 'The wedding day; a farce in two acts.'-By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
15. 'A new way to pay old debts; a comedy in five acts.'- By Philip Massinger. Illustration from Act V. Scene I.
16. 'The fair penitent; a tragedy in five acts.'- By Nicholas Rowe. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1.
17. 'The child of nature; a drama in two acts.' -By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
18. 'Polly Honeycombe; a dramatic novel in one act.' -By George Colman, the elder. Illustration from Scene 3.
19. 'The brothers; a comedy in five acts.' -By Richard Cumberland. Illustration from Act II. Scene 3.
20. 'Everyone has his fault; a comedy in five acts.' -By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1.
21. 'A trip to Scarborough; a comedy in three acts.' - By R.B. Sheridan. Illustration from Act III. -Scene 1.
22. 'Know your own mind; a comedy in five acts.' -By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1.
23. 'Comus; a masque in two acts.' Altered from Milton. Illustration from Act II- Scene I.
24. 'The Doctor and the apothecary; a musical entertainment in two acts.' -By James Cobb. Illustration from Act I. Scene 2.
25. 'The beaux stratagem; a comedy in five acts.' -By George Farquhar. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2.
26. 'Barbarossa; a tragedy in five acts.' -By John Brown. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1.
27. 'Lodoiska; A melo-dramatic opera in three acts.' -By JP Kemble. Illustration from Act 2.
28. 'The Mock Doctor; or, the dumb lady cured.' A farce in two acts. -By Henry Fielding. Illustration from Act II. Scene 3.
29. 'The suspicious husband; A comedy in five acts.' -By Dr. Hoadly. Illustration from Act III. Scene 2.
30. 'The haunted tower; a comic opera in three acts.' -By James Cobb. Illustration from Act III. Scene 4.
31. 'The busy body; a comedy, in five acts.' - By Mrs Centlivre. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
23. Reid 3430. 'Tom Thumb. A burlesque opera.' Altered from Fielding, by Kane O Hara.
24. 'The good natured man; a comedy in five acts.' -By Dr. Goldsmith. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1.
25. 'Oroonoko; a tragedy in five acts.' By Thomas Southern. Illustration from Act V. Scene 4.
26. Reid 3431. 'The Lord of the Manor; an opera in three acts.' Altered from General Burgoyne, by Charles Dibdin Jun. Illustration from Act III. Scene 4.
27. 'Fortune's frolic; a farce in two acts.' -By J.T. Allingham. Illustration from Act I. Scene II.
28. 'Cross purposes; a farce in two acts.' -By Mr O'Brien. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
29. 'The chapter of accidents; a comedy in five acts.' By Miss Lee. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2.
30. 'Which is the man? A comedy in five acts.' by Mrs Cowley. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 3.
31. 'Arden of Feversham; an historical tragedy in five acts.'-By George Lilio. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 3.
32. 'The conscious lovers; a comedy in five acts.' -By Sir Richard Steele. Illustration from Act V. Scene 3.
33. 'The follies of a day; a comedy in three acts- by Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act 1. Scene 1.
34. 'Miss in her teens; or, the medley of lovers; a farce in two acts by David Garrick.' Illustration from Act II. Scene 1.
35. 'The constant couple; or, a trip to the jubilee: A comedy in five acts.' By George Farquhar. Illustration from Act II. Scene 5.
36. 'The Duke of Milan; a tragedy, in five acts.' By Philip Massinger. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2.
37. 'Wives as they were, and maids as they are; a comedy in five acts.' By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 3.
38. 'The fashionable lover; a comedy in five acts.' -By Richard Cumberland. Illustration from Act I. Scene 2.
39. 'The orphan of China; A tragedy in five acts.' By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1.
- Production date
- 1825
- Dimensions
-
Height: 215 millimetres (approx. page height)
-
Width: 130 millimetres (approx. page width)
- Curator's comments
- The second of four volumes, published between 1825 and 1827, held in the Department of Prints and Drawings, see 184.f.1-4. The plays are nearly all seperately paged and were originally issued in weekly numbers. (See Cohn 507.)
Cohn (507) states that the title-page design and six of the illustrations are by George Cruikshank. ('Dragon of Wantley,' 'Tom Thumb.', 'The Lord of The Manor.'in the second volume, and 'Monsieur Tonson,' 'Crononhotonthologos.' and 'The Recruiting Sergeant.' in the third volume. Cohn states: "That to 'The Lord of the Manor' is the only one signed, but I have them all signed by the artist in ink." Reid also catalogues illustrations to the series by George Cruikshank see nos, 3429-3434.
The signature Byfield may be that of one of the brothers John and Ebenezer Byfield. Mary Byfield was the wood engraver employed on a number of illustrations to Volume 1 of the series but signs her name in full.
Wageman is credited with drawing the theatrical portraits in volume 1, in volumes 2-4 they are described as being "from original portraits" without reference to the artist's name.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- In a fragile condition, with loose pages at the front of the book.
- Acquisition date
- 1864
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1864,0213.203-252