JOHNSON, SAMUEL. IRENE, A TRAGEDY, LONDON, FOR R. DODSLEY AND SOLD BY M. COOPER, 1749, 8°, FIRST EDITION (lacking half-title and advertisement leaf, title soiled and slightly torn at upper and inner margins) [Courtney & Smith p. 24] -- THOMPSON, James. Tancred and Sigismunda, a tragedy, London, for A. Millar, 1745, 8°, FIRST EDITION, bound in one vol. with 2 other plays by Aaron Hill and William Shirley, contemporary half calf (rubbed).

細節

JOHNSON, SAMUEL. IRENE, A TRAGEDY, LONDON, FOR R. DODSLEY AND SOLD BY M. COOPER, 1749, 8°, FIRST EDITION (lacking half-title and advertisement leaf, title soiled and slightly torn at upper and inner margins) [Courtney & Smith p. 24] -- THOMPSON, James. Tancred and Sigismunda, a tragedy, London, for A. Millar, 1745, 8°, FIRST EDITION, bound in one vol. with 2 other plays by Aaron Hill and William Shirley, contemporary half calf (rubbed).

拍品專文

Written in Lichfield when Johnson was 28, Irene "slumbered" in manuscript for twelve years until brought out at the Drury Lane Theatre by Garrick on Feb. 6th 1748/9. The profits of the piece, which was performed nine times, amounted with the copyright to very nearly #300 (#195 from the production, #100 from Robert Dodsley). But it was never regarded as a success. On hearing that a man named Pot considered Irene "the finest tragedy of modern times", Johnson answered "If Pot says so, Pot lies."