THE THESPIAN DICTIONARY; OR, DRAMATIC BIOGRAPHY OF THE PRESENT AGE; containing sketches of the lives, lists of the productions, various merits, &c. &c. of all the principal dramatists, composers, commentators, managers, actors and actresses, of the United Kingdom: interspersed with numerous original anecdotes, forming a complete modern history of the English Stage. Second edition, with considerable improvements and additions.

12mo in sixes, engraved title and pp. iv, [396]; pagination including three leaves of advertisements at end; with ten sepia plates (of, perhaps, 22 required); contemporary calf, gilt spine (spine and upper joint slightly defective; corners bumped). Second edition: first published in 1802. This anonymous dictionary of playwrights, actors and other performers does not concern itself with long-dead people (such as Shakespeare or Dryden) but concentrates only on the 18th century and current figures. However, it does have some rather peculiar priorities: there are a dozen double-column pages on Thomas Sheridan (1719-88), but barely more than one page on his famous son, and just one column on Sarah Siddons, despite including a portrait of this famous actress. The title page calls for 'twenty-two elegant engravings', but this copy only has ten apart from the engraved title page: the entry in A&R seems to imply that there should be twenty only, so this copy must lack some, but perhaps not as many as it would at first appear. Arnott & Robinson 43.…