BIOGRAPHIA DRAMATICA; OR, A COMPANION TO THE PLAYHOUSE: CONTAINING

BAKER, David Erskine. BIOGRAPHIA DRAMATICA; OR, A COMPANION TO THE PLAYHOUSE CONTAINING HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL MEMOIRS, AND ORIGINAL ANECDOTES, OF BRITIS AND IRISH DRAMATIC WRITERS, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF OUR THEATRICAL EXHIBITIO AMONGST WHOM ARE SOME OF THE MOST CELEBRATED ACTORS. Two Volumes. London: Printed for Messrs. Rivingtons, 1782. 8vo. Early nineteenth century diced calf. (ii), v-lii, 496 pages; (ii), 442 pages. New edition, and continu from 1764 to 1782 Edited by Isaac Reed, and his first important work. The Biographia Dramatica set of biographies and dramatists and a descriptive dictionary of their plays was an enlargement of David Erskine Baker's Companion to the Playhouse (2 volumes, 1764). "Also an alphabetical account of their works, the dates when printed, and occasional observations on their merits. Together with an introductory view of the rise and progress of the British stage." The origin work by Baker had been based on Gerard Langbaine's Account of the English Dramatic Poets, (1691); Giles Jacob's Poetical Register, (1719); Thomas Whincop's List of all the Dramatic Authors, printed with his Tragedy of Scanderberg, (1747); and the manuscript of Thomas Coxeter, (1689-1747). Armor bookplate of the Marquess of Headfort. Slight wear but an attractive set. 39819.