The Dramatic Works of William Congreve, Esq; In Two Volumes [Early Edition Worn Full Leather Binding]

London: Printed for S. Crowder, C. Ware, and T. Payne, 1773, Early Edition. Contemporary full leather binding, very rubbed and worn, with gilt titles to red leather labels, five raised bands, cracked joints, rubbed with loss to the top and base of the spine, board edges and corners, worming to the bottom margin of Vol I from page 277 to the end, some damp staining. Burn marks to the top corner of the rear board. William Congreve (1670–1729) was an English playwright, poet and Whig politician. His works, which form an important component of Restoration literature, were known for their use of satire and the comedy of manners genre. Notable plays he wrote include The Old Bachelor (1693), The Double Dealer (1693), Love for Love (1695), The Mourning Bride (1697) and The Way of the World (1700) which established him a great writer in the genre of comedy of manners. He died in London, and was buried at the Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey. Pagination: 305pp; 285pp. Provenance: inscriptions by BH Barron and Ann Maply to the front of the volume, and Ann Palmer and Mark Ashley to the title page. Approximately 6 ¼ inches tall (16cm). Condition Report Externally Spine – fair condition – gilt titles to red labels, five raised bands, plain compartments, worn, marked and rubbed with loss. Joints – fair condition – cracked to the front joints, rubbed and worn to all. Corners – fair condition – bumped and worn. Boards – fair condition – full calf leather, marked and worn. Page edges – good condition – top edge darkened, all tanned. See above and photos. Internally Hinges – fair condition – cracked or cracking to the front joints, sound to the rear. Paste downs – good condition – plain, tanned and with signatures. End papers – good condition – plain, tanned and foxed, signature. Title – good condition – tanned with minor foxing, signatures to the top of both titles pages. Pages – good condition – lightly tanned throughout. Binding – fair condition – marked and worn. See photos.…