1739, ISBN: 9b40038cc274ea6decfdf6f42d2b29bf

[SC: 4.78], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [xiv] list of subscribers, prologue and dramatis personae, 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; bound with … More...

[SC: 4.78], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [xiv] list of subscribers, prologue and dramatis personae, 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; bound with six other plays of the mid-18th century (see below); contemporary quarter calf, 19th century morocco label (a little chipped). From the library at Mountstuart (the Bute family house on the Isle of Bute). First edition: this is the rare issue with the list of subscribers, and no price below the imprint. Brooke's play was never performed because it was the first play banned under the Licensing Act of 1739. In early 1739 Mallet's Mustapha had criticised by implication the situation at Court, with figures resembling the King, the Prince of Wales and Sir Robert Walpole. The Lord Chamberlain, to whom powers over the London stage had been devolved, had missed Mallet's dramatic allegory, but he was able to suppress Brooke's play in rehearsal. It was this action which prompted Samuel Johnson to break into heavy irony with his pamphlet A compleat vindication of the licensers of the stage, published in May 1739 after the present play had been banned in March. Among the subscribers were Samuel Johnson and Jonathan Swift (who took ten copies), as well as Lord Chesterfield and David Mallet. Most copies of this play are of the 'ordinary' issue, with a price of 1s.6d on the title below the imprint; the present issue, with the list of subscribers, is much rarer. There may also be an issue without both price and subscription list. Eddy & Fleeman, Preliminary Handlist of books to which Johnson subscribed, 10. Bound with this are six other plays of the period: 1. David Mallet, Mustapha (London, 1739). Although bound second here, this is the play which immediately preceded Brooke's Gustavus Vasa: it was performed at Drury Lane in February 1739 and was immediately seen as a cunning allegory on the Walpole government. Alexander Pope encouraged the play, and James Thomson wrote the prologue. The play is dedicated to the Prince of Wales, who was opposed to the King's choice of ministers. 2. John Brown, Barbarossa (3rd edition, London, 1762). 3. George Colman, the elder, Philaster, after Beaumont and Fletcher (London, 1763). 4. Edward Moore, The Foundling (London, 1748). 5. James Thomson, Agamemnon (London, 1738). With a prologue by Mallet (see the first item above), and dedicated to the Princess of Wales. 6. Charles Bodens, The Modish Couple (London, 1732: title page torn). With an epilogue by Henry Fielding.<

1739, ISBN: 9b40038cc274ea6decfdf6f42d2b29bf

[SC: 4.67], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [xiv] list of subscribers, prologue and dramatis personae, 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; bound with … More...

[SC: 4.67], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [xiv] list of subscribers, prologue and dramatis personae, 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; bound with six other plays of the mid-18th century (see below); contemporary quarter calf, 19th century morocco label (a little chipped). From the library at Mountstuart (the Bute family house on the Isle of Bute). First edition: this is the rare issue with the list of subscribers, and no price below the imprint. Brooke's play was never performed because it was the first play banned under the Licensing Act of 1739. In early 1739 Mallet's Mustapha had criticised by implication the situation at Court, with figures resembling the King, the Prince of Wales and Sir Robert Walpole. The Lord Chamberlain, to whom powers over the London stage had been devolved, had missed Mallet's dramatic allegory, but he was able to suppress Brooke's play in rehearsal. It was this action which prompted Samuel Johnson to break into heavy irony with his pamphlet A compleat vindication of the licensers of the stage, published in May 1739 after the present play had been banned in March. Among the subscribers were Samuel Johnson and Jonathan Swift (who took ten copies), as well as Lord Chesterfield and David Mallet. Most copies of this play are of the 'ordinary' issue, with a price of 1s.6d on the title below the imprint; the present issue, with the list of subscribers, is much rarer. There may also be an issue without both price and subscription list. Eddy & Fleeman, Preliminary Handlist of books to which Johnson subscribed, 10. Bound with this are six other plays of the period: 1. David Mallet, Mustapha (London, 1739). Although bound second here, this is the play which immediately preceded Brooke's Gustavus Vasa: it was performed at Drury Lane in February 1739 and was immediately seen as a cunning allegory on the Walpole government. Alexander Pope encouraged the play, and James Thomson wrote the prologue. The play is dedicated to the Prince of Wales, who was opposed to the King's choice of ministers. 2. John Brown, Barbarossa (3rd edition, London, 1762). 3. George Colman, the elder, Philaster, after Beaumont and Fletcher (London, 1763). 4. Edward Moore, The Foundling (London, 1748). 5. James Thomson, Agamemnon (London, 1738). With a prologue by Mallet (see the first item above), and dedicated to the Princess of Wales. 6. Charles Bodens, The Modish Couple (London, 1732: title page torn). With an epilogue by Henry Fielding.<

1739, ISBN: 9b40038cc274ea6decfdf6f42d2b29bf

[SC: 4.8], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [xiv] list of subscribers, prologue and dramatis personae, 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; bound with s… More...

[SC: 4.8], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [xiv] list of subscribers, prologue and dramatis personae, 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; bound with six other plays of the mid-18th century (see below); contemporary quarter calf, 19th century morocco label (a little chipped). From the library at Mountstuart (the Bute family house on the Isle of Bute). First edition: this is the rare issue with the list of subscribers, and no price below the imprint. Brooke's play was never performed because it was the first play banned under the Licensing Act of 1739. In early 1739 Mallet's Mustapha had criticised by implication the situation at Court, with figures resembling the King, the Prince of Wales and Sir Robert Walpole. The Lord Chamberlain, to whom powers over the London stage had been devolved, had missed Mallet's dramatic allegory, but he was able to suppress Brooke's play in rehearsal. It was this action which prompted Samuel Johnson to break into heavy irony with his pamphlet A compleat vindication of the licensers of the stage, published in May 1739 after the present play had been banned in March. Among the subscribers were Samuel Johnson and Jonathan Swift (who took ten copies), as well as Lord Chesterfield and David Mallet. Most copies of this play are of the 'ordinary' issue, with a price of 1s.6d on the title below the imprint; the present issue, with the list of subscribers, is much rarer. There may also be an issue without both price and subscription list. Eddy & Fleeman, Preliminary Handlist of books to which Johnson subscribed, 10. Bound with this are six other plays of the period: 1. David Mallet, Mustapha (London, 1739). Although bound second here, this is the play which immediately preceded Brooke's Gustavus Vasa: it was performed at Drury Lane in February 1739 and was immediately seen as a cunning allegory on the Walpole government. Alexander Pope encouraged the play, and James Thomson wrote the prologue. The play is dedicated to the Prince of Wales, who was opposed to the King's choice of ministers. 2. John Brown, Barbarossa (3rd edition, London, 1762). 3. George Colman, the elder, Philaster, after Beaumont and Fletcher (London, 1763). 4. Edward Moore, The Foundling (London, 1748). 5. James Thomson, Agamemnon (London, 1738). With a prologue by Mallet (see the first item above), and dedicated to the Princess of Wales. 6. Charles Bodens, The Modish Couple (London, 1732: title page torn). With an epilogue by Henry Fielding.<

1783, ISBN: 9b40038cc274ea6decfdf6f42d2b29bf

London: Printed for R. Dodsley, at Tully's Head Pall-Mall, 1739. First edition, with list of subscribers, including the name of Mr. Samuel Johnson, present [CBEL, Vol. II, p. 435, noting… More...

London: Printed for R. Dodsley, at Tully's Head Pall-Mall, 1739. First edition, with list of subscribers, including the name of Mr. Samuel Johnson, present [CBEL, Vol. II, p. 435, noting "performance prohibited, but acted at Dublin in 1744 as The Patriot"]. pp. xxii (including twelve-page list of subscribers and two-page prologue), 85. 12mo. rebound in modern unprinted tan wrappers.Some slight early foxing, with evidence of early sewing along the spine, else a near fine copy, tipped into late brown unprinted wrappers, with owner's bookplate on inside front cover. First edition, with list of subscribers, including the name of Mr. Samuel Johnson, present [CBEL, Vol. II, p. 435, noting "performance prohibited, but acted at Dublin in 1744 as The Patriot"]. pp. xxii (including twelve-page list of subscribers and two-page prologue), 85. 12mo. 1739 PLAY "GUSTAVUS VASA, THE DELIVERER OF HIS COUNTRY" Henry Brooke was born in Ireland, in Co. Cavan, in 1703. He was educated at Trinity College, and lived for most of his life in Ireland, fathering 22 children. He became a novelist and playwright, as well as an author of political pamphlets (i.e. he advocated the relaxation of laws against Roman Catholics), an opera and an oratorio. He was a friend of Swift and Pope, and of Samuel Johnson, who subscribed to Brooke's play Gustavus Vasa, writing an ironical contemporary attack upon the suppression of the play, entitled A Compleat Vindication of the Licensers of the Stage, from the Malicious and Scandalous Aspersions of Mr [Henry] Brooke, Author of Gustavus Vasa [see Courtney and Smith, p. 10]. Brooke died in Dublin in 1783. Courtney and Smith, p. 10, Printed for R. Dodsley, at Tully's Head Pall-Mall, 1739, 0<

1739, ISBN: 9b40038cc274ea6decfdf6f42d2b29bf

[SC: 4.78], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK DUPS, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [ii], 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; title page rather dusty, else a decent copy; disbound. Firs… More...

[SC: 4.78], [PU: London: printed for R. Dodsley], DRAMA ASTOCK DUPS, 8vo in fours, pp. viii, [ii], 81, [4] epilogue, [1] blank; title page rather dusty, else a decent copy; disbound. First edition: this is the ordinary issue, with the price below the imprint, and no list of subscribers. Brooke's play was never performed because it was the first play banned under the Licensing Act of 1739. In early 1739 Mallet's Mustapha had criticised by implication the situation at Court, with figures resembling the King, the Prince of Wales and Sir Robert Walpole. The Lord Chamberlain, to whom powers over the London stage had been devolved, had missed Mallet's dramatic allegory, but he was able to suppress Brooke's play in rehearsal. It was this action which prompted Samuel Johnson to break into heavy irony with his pamphlet A compleat vindication of the licensers of the stage, published in May 1739 after the present play had been banned in March.<