Tiger Books

as it was to have been acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, modern paper wrappers, vignette titlepage and decorations, lacking list of subscribers as usual, lightly spotted, good. licence to perform this play was refused on political grounds some weeks after rehearsals began. In March 1739 Brooke advertised its publication by subscription at five shillings a copy, to which ‘the names of the subscribers (that do not desire to the contrary) will be prefixed.’ In May, ostensibly to forestall a rumoured piracy, he advertised an edition at 1s.6d.; the twelve-page list of subscribers (not present in this copy) contains some notable names, including Lord Chesterfield, Mr Samuel Johnson, Earl of Marchmont and the very Rev Dr Jonathan Swift; first edition; 85 pages including epilogue;