“BEAUMONT… THE BALLAST OF JUDGEMENT, FLETCHER THE SAIL OF PHANTASY”

BEAUMONT, Francis, and FLETCHER, John. The Works of Beaumont & Fletcher; the Text formed from a New Collation of the Early Editions. London: Edward Moxon, 1843-46. Eleven volumes. Octavo, early 20th-century full maroon straight-grain calf, elaborately gilt-decorated spines and corners, raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt; housed in custom cloth slipcases. $3800.

Later edition of the collected works of these contemporaries of Shakespeare, beautifully bound by Zaehnsdorf.

The playwrights Beaumont and Fletcher were regarded in their time as two men so closely in harmony as to constitute one mind: "Beaumont bringing the ballast of judgment, Fletcher the sail of phantasy … He who has not perused Beaumont and Fletcher can have no complete idea of the riches of English poetry" (Allibone, I:150-51). With notes and a biographical memoir by Rev. Alexander Dyce and frontispiece portraits in Volumes I and II. Bookplates.

Interiors fine; minor expert repairs to a few joints and headcaps. A beautiful set.