August 2020 Catalogue

A u g u s t 2 0 2 0 51 Restoration Adaptation Of Shakespeare’s Tempest , 1676 Quarto—The Foyle Copy 49. (SHAKESPEARE) DRYDEN, John, and D’AVENANT, William. The Tempest, or the Enchanted Island. A Comedy: As it is now Acted at His Highness the Duke of York’s Theatre. London, 1676. Small quarto, 19th- century three-quarter crimson morocco, custom cloth clamshell box. $12,000. Click for more info Third edition of D’Avenant and Dryden’s Restoration adaptation of The Tempest, the Bard’s bewitching tale of shipwreck and sorcery. The Foyle copy. Almost certainly the last work Shakespeare wrote by himself (in late 1610 or early 1611)—and, uniquely, his sole wholly original plot— The Tempest consistently proves enchanting and enthralling to audiences. After the end of the Puritan interval under Cromwell, the restored London theater depended upon Shakespeare as a source of dramatic material. Sir William D’Avenant—rumored to have been Shakespeare’s illegitimate son—is primarily responsible for this “Restoration Tempest ”, while John Dryden served as co-adaptor. This adaptation first saw print in 1670. Two issues of this popular adaptation were published by Herringman in 1676; no priority given. Bound without final blank [M2]. Morocco-gilt Beeleigh Abbey bookplate of the celebrated bookseller and book collector William Alfred Foyle. Text professionally cleaned, lower corner of first signature mildly shaved, not touching letterpress, binding attractive and fine. A desirable copy with excellent provenance. “So, from old Shakespear’ s honour’d dust, this day Springs up and buds a new reviving play”