To use the publisher's own words as written in his advertisement for the series: the set is to "consist of the complete works of the 'starre' of English dramatists -- Comedies, Histories, Tragedies, Poems, Sonnets, and Miscellaneous Verses. To aid in the ready comprehension of the text, marginal explanations of the more peculiar phrases will be inserted as they arise, and an extensive Glossary of all the more important words employed by Shakspeare will be furnished, with accurate references to the places in which they occur. To secure at once the completeness and thoroughness of this edition, one Section.of the work by Samuel Neil, author of "A Documentary Biography of William Shakspeare," "The Home of Shakspeare," "The Moral Character of Shakspeare," "Shakspeare as a Literary Artist," "Shakspeare's Sonnets and their Secrets," &c. &c. will be devoted to illustrative matter; including, first, an original Biography of Shakspeare, with critical notices of the controversies which have arisen regarding it; second, the Sources of Shakspeare's Plays and Poems, in which the literature connected with the materials by which his dramas were suggested, or from which ideas for them have been drawn will be noted and explained, and such quotations from it given, as may serve to show the relations of the mind of Shakspeare to the occurrences, the thoughts and the publications of his day; third, the Plots of Shakspeare's Plays, in which the main incidents of the dramas will be set before the reader, so told as to elucidate the course of the incidents, the relations of the different parts, and to present the plot - interest of the drama as a Tale; fourth, Notes, original and selected, on such literary, critical, historical, mythological, archaeological, lexicographic, and folk-lore matters as may be usefully employed in the illustration or elucidation of the text.

"The Illustrated Library Shakspeare" will be published in Nine Divisions, cloth elegant, gilt edges, Ten Shillings and Sixpence each, printed in a clear type on fine toned paper, royal quarto size. Each division will contain One hundred and sixty pages Letterpress, profusely illustrated with Wood Engravings in the text, and Eight page Plates, Four of which will be beautifully executed in Colours."

I can say no more. Except to say the volumes range from having some edgewear, fading, foxing etc to nearly pristine. They are, overall, as lovely to behold as Shakspeare's (for that's how the publisher consistently spelt the bard's name) work is to read, or almost so.

Covers are green embossed cloth with bright gilt titles and decoration to front board and spine. Condition of each volume varies but are overall VG to VG+. A large and heavy set which will require additional shipping cost.
008860

Price: 125.00 GBP