An Apology for the life of Mr. Colley Cibber, Comedian, and Late Patentee of the Theatre-Royal. by Cibber, Colley - 1740: With an Historical View of the Stage during his Own Time

London: Printed by John Watts for the Author, 1740. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Later dark navy blue morocco, gilt-stamped lettering in second spine compartment (5 raised bands), a.e.g.; 4to; pp. [16], 346, plus frontispiece portrait. Head of spine chipped; some light scuffing along joints and edges of boards. A little marginal browning to frontispiece, but contents are otherwise fine. Colley Cibber (1671-1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright, and Poet Laureate. This colourful memoir describes his life in a personal and anecdotal style. He wrote 25 plays for his own company at Drury Lane, half of which were adapted from various sources, which led Robert Lowe and Alexander Pope, among others, to criticise his "miserable mutilation" of "crucified Molière [and] hapless Shakespeare." He regarded himself as first and foremost an actor and had great popular success in comical fop parts, while as a tragic actor he was persistent but much ridiculed. Cibber's brash, extroverted personality… Read More

Printed by John Watts for the Author, 1740. 4to (11¾ x 9¼ ins). Contemporary half calf on marbled paper-laid boards, raised ribbed spine gilt tooled in six compartments with gilt lettered label, red sprinkled edges (boards a little chafed at edges - otherwise VG). Pp. [xviii] + 346 + [2] blank, illus with engraved frontispiece, head and tail pieces and decorative initials (no inscriptions).

London: John Watts, c. 1740.. An excellent, clean copy with wide margins. Binding: Contemporary full calf with double-lined gilt border, rebacked expertly, spine in six compartments of raised bands, red morocco label on two, all edges tinted red, endpapers marbled. , Notes: Colley Cibber was a British actor-manager, playwright, and poet laureate. His colourful memoir, Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber (1740), started a British tradition of personal, anecdotal, and even rambling autobiographies. He wrote some plays for performance by his own company at Drury Lane, and adapted many more from various sources, receiving frequent criticism for his "miserable mutilation" (Robert Lowe) of "hapless Shakespeare, and crucify'd Molière" (Alexander Pope)., Size: 4to, Illustration: Ex-libris on paste-down endpaper. With portrait plate, and elaborate initials, head and tail pieces., Pages: P. frontis, title, blank, (9), blank, (4), 1-346,, Category: Book Performing Arts; Book Biography