Shakespeare, William

Plays and Poems

London: A.J. Valpy, 1832-1834. Fifteen small octavo volumes, contemporary blue three-quarter morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled boards and endpapers, top edges gilt. Lightest rubbing to extremities.

Complete works of Shakespeare, handsomely bound by Lauriat, with illustrations inspired by the engravings in Boydell's massive folio edition, “executed on steel, in the first style of outline engraving." This copy contains 87 of 170 original plates, including a frontispiece portrait of Shakespeare; Samuel Johnson's preface to Shakespeare is reprinted in the first volume. “But this rough magic / I here abjure: and, when I have required / Some heavenly music, (which even now I do) / To work mine end upon their senses, that / This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff, / Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, / And, deeper than did ever plummet sound, / I'll drown my book." A lovely, near-fine set.