The Plays of William Shakespeare, in Eight Volumes. With the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added Notes by Sam. Johnson. SHAKESPEARE, William.

Early Johnson edition; 8 volumes, 8vo (22 x 14 cm); engraved frontispiece of Shakespeare, after G[eorge] Vertue, bookplates to pastedwons and ownership inscriiption to publisher's blank of first volume,occassional marginal wormhole, a touch of spotting to endpapers but else internally fine; contemporary full polished calf, spines in six elaborate gilt compartments with gilt red morocco lettering pieces, red and green lettering pieces, spines chipped and joints split with upper board of Vol. 1 loose. Comprising: Vol. 1. The Tempest, A Midsummer-Night's Dream, The Two Gentleman of Verona, Measure for Measure, The Merchant of Venice; Vol. 2. As You Like It, Love's Labour's Lost, The Winter's Tale, Twelfth Night, The Merry Wives of Windsor; Vol. 3. The Taming of the Shrew, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, All's Well That Ends Well, The Life and Death of King John; Vol. IV. Richard II, Henry IV part 1 and 2, Henry V, Henry VI part 1; Vol. V. Henry VI part 2 and 3, Richard III, Henry VIII; Vol. VI. King Lear, Timon of Athens, Titus Andronicus, Macbeth, Coriolanus; Vol. VII. Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Cymbeline, Troilus and Cressida; Vol VIII. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello. Early reissue of the famous Johnson edition of Shakespeare (1765), praised for its eminent preface. 'No obvious difference between this and Johnson's first edition except in the title' - (Jaggard, p. 502). Jaggard, p. 502.