Three Plays

James Thomson. [Three Plays: Sophonisba, Agamemnon, and Edward and Eleonora]. London: A. Millar, 1730-1739. First editions, comprising: The Tragedy of Sophonisba, 1730, variant with press figures pages 29 ('1') and 64 ('2') and an errata on the recto of the final leaf; [and:] Agamemnon. A Tragedy, 1738, variant with price (One-Shilling and Six-pence) on the title-page, lacking the initial advertisements leaf; [and:] Edward and Eleonora. A Tragedy, 1739, variant without the price on the title-page, catchword 'Act' on the end of pages 39 and 52, 'Gloste.r' four lines from the bottom of page 27, pages 63 misnumbered 93. Three volumes in one. Octavo in fours (7.25 x 4.5 inches; 185 x 115 mm.). [8], 75, [5]; [6], 71, [1]; iv, [4], 64 pages (note: Edward and Eleonora G gathering mistakenly replaced by a second D gathering). Wood-cut head- and tailpieces. Later (19th century) sprinkled dark red calf, spine in six compartments with five raised bands, gilt-lettered red label, boards tooled in blind; all edges of the text block sprinkled red; comb marbled endpapers, flyleaves. Spine slightly askew; backstrip faintly dulled with a few mild scuffs; boards gently bowed with a minor wrinkle on the front board; edges a little worn; corners tapped. Some trivial wear throughout the text, some page edges with short tears; bookplate. Very good. NCBEL Volume II, pp 528-529 (all titles); Sophonisba: ESTC T100040 ("Printed by William Bowyer; his records show a total of 5000 octavo copies printed in four impressions; also printed in a 4⁰ imposition"); Agamemnon: ESTC T21112; Edward and Eleonora: ESTC N60643. (#10343).