Edward The English Lawyer; a Comedy: Acted at the Royal Theatre.

by RAVENSCROFT

£2,000 · Offered by Henry Sotheran Ltd

RAVENSCROFT, Edward The English Lawyer, a comedy London: Printed by J. M. for James Vade at the Cock and Sugar-loaf near St. Dunstan’s Church in Fleet-street. 1678. Small 4to. Twentieth-century brown morocco by Sangorski Sutcliffe for Phillip C. Broughton (initials P.C.B. gilt to upper board), turn-ins ruled in gilt, two raised bands, spine lettered directly in gilt, edges stained red; pp. [iv], 67, [3], bound without final blank K4; inner margin of title subtly reinforced, not affecting printed area, uniform toning, slightly foxed throughout; overall very good; twentieth-century Sotheran’s stamp, Sackville Street, to front pastedown. Very scarce first edition of Ravenscroft’s adaptation of George Ruggle’s celebrated Latin comedy Ignoramus, first printed in 1630. Edward Ravenscroft (fl. 1659–1697), playwright, was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1659 and to the Middle Temple in 1667, though there is no evidence that he was called to the bar, and he appears to have devoted his attention mainly to literature. By the early 1670s he had turned to the theatre, becoming one of the period’s more active refashioners of earlier plays for the Restoration stage. The English Lawyer is Ravenscroft’s English adaptation of Ruggle’s Latin comedy, first printed in 1630. Ravenscroft brings the celebrated university comedy to the public theatre, retaining the biting satirisation of loquacious and avaricious lawyers, but reducing the original five-hour performance to less than three hours. In ad

• Binding: Hardcover

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