THE WORKS OF BEN JONSON. With a Biographical Memoir by William Gifford

6 volumes. Early antiquarian edition. Adorned with frontispieces and plates, including a frontispiece portrait in Volume I. 8vo, bound in fine period polished calf in very pleasing and handsome style, the spines with raised bands and lettering on contrasting red and green morocco labels in gilt, board edges tooled in blind, edges sprinkled red. A fine handsome set and rare in this condition, the joints sometime refurbished. The text blocks are only very lightly mellowed and the extremities lightly rubbed.

Edizione: scarce early printing handsomely bound. a beautiful presentation of one of the english language’s greatest writers. jonson of course is most remembered for his plays and poetry. his first play to be produced “every man out of his humour” featured william shakespeare in its cast. along with jonson’s great body of work is william gifford’s memoir, a selection of commendatory verses on jonson written by his contemporaries, a fine glossary and extensive index. jonson, dramatist, lyric poet and literary editor is generally regarded as the second most important english dramatist, after william shakespeare.