An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear, Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets.

This copy of An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear, Compared with the Greek and French Dramatic Poets. With some remarks upon the Misrepresentations of Mons. De Voltaire. The Fourth Edition, To which are now first added Three Dialogues of the Dead, by Mrs. Montagu was published in London in 1777 by Edward and Charles Dilly. The book, which measures approximately 5 ¼ x 8 ½ inches, contains 316 pages, with front and rear end-papers. The front cover is missing and the original rear cover is detached, but the body of the book is in very good condition. The book's spine contains the original covering and printing. The pages are only very slightly tanned, with the text clear and easily read. The overall condition of the item is good.

In 1760, George Lyttleton encouraged Mrs. Montagu to write Dialogues of the Dead. It is a series of conversations between the living and the illustrious dead and works as a satire of 18th century vanity and manners. In 1769, she published An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear. In it, she proclaims William Shakespeare the greatest English poet and, in fact, the greatest poet of any nation. She also attacks Samuel Johnson's Preface to Shakespeare from 1765 for not having gone on to praise Shakespeare's plays enough. While Johnson had dealt with text, history, and the circumstances of editing, Montagu wrote instead about the characters, plots, and beauties of the verse in Shakespeare and saw in him a championing of all things inherently English.

The illustrations accompanying this description show the Title Page, the Table of Contents, the first page of the Introduction, and a typical 2-page spread of text.

Elizabeth Montagu (2 October 1718 – 25 August 1800) was a British social reformer, patron of the arts, salonist, literary critic, and writer who helped organize and lead the bluestocking society. Her parents were both from wealthy families with strong ties to the British peerage and intellectual life. She married Edward Montagu, a wealthy man with extensive holdings, to become one of the wealthiest women of her era. She devoted this wealth to fostering English and Scottish literature and to the relief of the poor. [Wikipedia]