BEHN (Aphra): - The Plays, Histories, and Novels of the Ingenious Mrs Aphra Behn. With Life and Memoirs.

London: John Pearson..., 1871. 6 volumes. 12mo, 183 x 108 mms., pp. vi, 360; [ii], 360; [ii], 344; [ii], 418; xii, 324; 336, with portrait frontispiece, in volumes 1 and 5, 2 other illustrations in volume 5 and one in volume 6, uncut in original two tone paper boards; spines soiled, front joint volumes 1 and 6 tender. These six volumes reprint works of Mrs. Behn first printed in 1725 and 1724 and were edited by R. H. Shepperd. Volume 1 - 4 are facsimiles of the third edition of plays originally published as: Plays / written by the late ingenious Mrs Behn. London : Printed for Mary Poulson, 1724; while volumes 5 and 6 are facsimiles of the eighth edItion of the novels originally published as: Histories and Novels / Written by the late Ingenious Mrs Behn. London : Printed for W. Feales, 1735. Janet Todd, in The Critical Fortunes of Aphra Behn (1998) noted that the reprint provoked a wide range of critical observations: "In the review in The Examiner (20 January 1872) Behn is praised for the 'smart writing' and 'racy plotting' of her plays. In The Bookseller (March 1872) she is judged 'dull and unreadable' by contemporary standards, yet her works can be perused for an understanding of her age...." On the other hand, The Saturday Review (January 1872), titling the review "Literary Garbage," stated that "if Mrs. Behn is read at all, it can only be from a love of impurity for its own sake, for rank indecency of the dullest, stupidest, grossest kind, unrelieved by the faintest gleam of with and sensibility." Buy at your own risk!

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