A Collection of Seventy-Nine Black-Letter Ballads and Broadsides Printed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth between the Years 1559 and 1597

London: Joseph Lilly, 1867. 1st Edition. First Printing. Hard Cover. Original publisher's brown cloth, gilt lettering on spine, blind-stamped decorative front and rear panels, brown endpapers, fore and bottom edges deckle. Accompanied with an Introduction and Illustrative Notes. Four additional items are included with the book: (1) An autograph letter, signed, written on both sides of a sheet, from the publisher, Joseph Lilly, dated August 21, 1867, and sent from Covent Garden, explaining how he acquired the rights to the current book, as follows: "Dear Sir, I gave L750 for the folio volume of the Old Ballads & Broadsides, at the sale of the library of George Daniel Esq, at "Sotheby's" Auction Rooms, in July 1864. I do not know the date of Mr. Daniel's birth. He was about 75 years old at the time of his death. I think he was born in Newgate [or ?]. I think his father (or mother's) family was in the worsted trade. If I can get a portrait of him I will send it to you. Yours truly (signed) Joseph Lilly." (2) Another note is tipped-in to the front endpaper, in a different hand, as follows: "George Daniels Ballads | With autograph note of Mr. Lilly the publisher stating that he gave upwards of L700 for the original. [sic] and Scarce portrait, + short Memoir of Mr. Daniel __ - Only a comparative few copies printed." (3) Also laid-in is the portrait of George Daniel referred to in Mr. Lilly's note, and (4) a short, somewhat poetic memoir of him, curiously captioned "Memoir of D._ _G." The note on the endpaper describes the portrait and memoir as scarce as there were only a few copies printed. NB: A large number of the 19th Century acting editions are promoted as containing "remarks by D. _ _G" (i.e. George Daniel). These remarks are usually two to three pages in length and contain relatively non-critical comments about the play and its production. These prefaces consist primarily of a synopsis of the play, but occasionally they contain interesting anecdotes that shed some light on both the cultural and theatrical landscape of his time. Fortunately, in a few of the scripts the critic's nom de plume is forgotten, and he is identified as George Daniel (1789-1864). He was a descendant of a Huguenot family that settled in England in the 17th century. Even as a young man he was a prolific writer, mostly of poetry, but at the age of 18 he completed Dick Distich, a novel in three volumes. Yet it would be as a poet that Daniel was to gain his first taste of pseudonymous fame, as "P___P___, Poet Laureat." P___ P___, Poet Laureat's first poem was a "sprightly squib in verse" entitled "R_y_l Stripes; or a Kick from Yar_th to Wa_s; with the particulars of an Expedition to Oat_ds and the Sprained Ancle." It was an account of the horse-whipping given to the prince regent by Lord Yarmouth for "making improper advances" to his mother-in-law. The poem was immediately and simultaneously suppressed and highly popular. Daniel's original manuscript is kept in the British Museum. Broadly satirical pieces, such as the poem described above, brought Daniel into the company of "a number of literary friends," most notably Charles Lamb and Robert Bloomfield. At the same time his exposure to the theatrical milieu of London began to grow, and he befriended some of the greatest actors of the time. The value that the actor John Kemble placed on his friendship was demostrated by a "white satin" bill of fare the actor presented to Daniel in the green-room at Covent Garden. This occurred on the night of Kemble's final performance there on June 23, 1817. This memento is also the property of the British Museum. In 1818, Daniel made his debut as a playwright with a piece entitiled "Doctor Bolus." It was successfully presented at the English Opera House and at the Lyceum. He followed that one year later with "The Disagreeable Surprise" and in 1833, with "Sworn at Highgate." Yet it seems that George Daniel's greatest contribution to the arts of 19th century London is in neither his poetry or his plays, but rather as an editor and book collector. Between 1823 and 1831, thirty-nine volumes of "British Theatre, with Remarks Biographical and Critical, printed from the Acting Copies as performed at the Theatres Royal London" were published by John Cumberland, and edited by George Daniel. Fourteen more volumes were added by 1832. Later, he also edited similar publications of acting editions for T.H.Lacy and Davison. The University of Washington a collection of many acting editions with remarks by Daniel, from a variety of publishers. Bates refers to Daniel as a book collector, one whose estate brought great wealth to his descendants when it was sold. His collection included a first folio of Shakespeare, David Garrick's cane, a cassolette, or carved casket, made out of the mulberry-tree from Shakespeare's garden, as well as many other books and artifacts from the Elizabethan age. For ten days, starting on July 24, 1864, his entire collection was sold at auction. His heirs received 15,865 pounds and 12 shillings. One of his greatest friends, it seems, was the artist Robert Cruikshank, with whom he collaborated on many of the acting editions, as well as on other publications. Daniel's last work was called "Love's Last Labour Not Lost," which contained recollections of both Charles Lamb and Cruikshank. " [Dennis Barnett, University of Washington]. A very rare association copy of this scarce first edition.. Small neat former ownership inscription on the fep; endpapers separated but hinges holding, text is clean, tight, and square. VERY GOOD.. Association Copy. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. xxxvi, 318, (1) pp. Signed by Notable Personage, Related. Very Good with No dust jacket as issued .

LILLY, JOSEPH (ED) - A Collection of Seventy-Nine Black-Letter Ballads and Broadsides Printed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth between the Years 1559 and 1597