An Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber

London: R. and J. Dodsley, 1756 . Leather. Good Only/Very Good Indeed. 7.5" by 4.5". None. Jeffrey Amherst's copy of the fourth edition of Colley Cibber's fascinating autobiographical account of the 'rise and progress of the English stage' from the late seventeenth to early eighteenth century. Inscribed by Jeffery Amherst. The complete two volume fourth edition of the autobiography of English actor, playwright and Poet Laureate Colley Cibber. The final edition published in Cibber's lifetime.Illustrated with a portrait frontispiece of Cibber to volume I.First published in 1840, this colourful memoir is the work Cibber is best remembered for, notable for its conversational, rambling and anecdotal tone, and deliberate narrative inaccuracies. The text focuses on Cibber's life as a young actor in Drury Lane in the 1690s, and discusses the actors and managers he associated with.ESTC reference no. T73426With an armorial bookplate to the front pastedowns, and the contemporary owner's inscription of Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, to each front pastedown. Amherst was Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in the British Army, credited as the architect of Britain's successful campaign to conquer New France during the Seven Years' War.Housed in a custom cloth slip case, with Thomas Gainsborough's portrait of Amherst to the front board.A memorable work, praised by the usually critical Samuel Johnson as 'very entertaining and very well done'. In full calf bindings, housed in a cloth slip case. Rubbing to back strips, with losses to leather at back strip head and tails. Front board and front free endpaper of volume I detached but present. Rear joint of volume I, and front and rear joint of volume II strained, and tenderly held. Small mark to tail of front board of slip case. Armorial bookplate and contemporary owner's inscriptions to front pastedowns. Internally, binding of volume one lightly strained, with one gathering working loose. Volume II firmly bound. Spotting throughout, most prominent to first and last few leaves of each volume. Good Only