Love In Several Masques. A Comedy, As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal, By His Majesty's Servants

London: John Watts, 1728. First edition. leather_bound. Late 19th century polished brown calf backstrip lettered in gilt. Aeg. Near fine. 83 pages. 19 x 12 cm. First edition of Fielding's first play and second publication. Love in Several Masques was quite the triumph for the 20-year-old Fielding. It opened on February 16, 1728, in Drury Lane, with Colley Cibber and Mrs. Oldfield in the cast, and its competition was Gay's Beggar’s Opera and Vanburgh’s The Provok’d Husband. Very light toning throughout with reasonable text margins, uncommon in most rebindings of the period. Bookplate of Louis C. Asher, creator of the first Sears, Roebuck catalogue, father-in-law of Stanley Kunitz, and armorial bookplate of Viscount Birkenhead. Marbled endpapers, inner dentelles, gilt cover panels.