You are bidding on a super scarce antique book titled The Conscious Lovers - A Comedy, As It Is Acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. Written by Sir Richard Steele. Book was printed in London for J. Tonson at Shakespeare's Head over-against Katharine Street in the Strand, 1723. This is the First Edition! This is an incredibly rare piece!

Knighted in 1715, Sir Richard Steele (1672-1729) imbued his dramatic works with a missionary and reforming spirit, and was one of the first to temper the licentiousness of Restoration drama with sentimental moralizing. The last and most important of Steele's works, The Conscious Lovers, is an adaptation of Terence's Andria. First performed in 1722, it was a great success, and was immediately translated into German and French, exercising an immense influence on the current European drift towards comedie larmoyante.

 Steele (1672-1729) was noted journalist, dramatist, & writer. In 1709 he founded "The Tatler." He was a notable Whig & prospered when the Whigs were in power under George I and served in his administration & was knighted. "The Conscious Lovers" was written in 1723.

This is a softcover book. The covers boast the marbellized design typical of the time. The covers show a bit of wear but are in very good condition. All pages are tightly bound and in very good condition. There is some faded writing on the title page. It appears to be two previous owner's names. I'm not sure but it looks like the title page may be mounted on another sheet of antique paper. There is also some faded writing on the last page. The paper must be acid-free because there is hardly any foxing. Book shows some wear but is in overall very good condition.

Check your collection. You probably don't have this 1723 First Edition!

Would make a super addition to a collection. Very rare!

Great gift idea!

(Inventory: 510)