The Morality of Shakespeare’s Drama Illustrated by Griffith, Mrs. (Elizabeth) - 1775

London: printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand, MDCCLXXV. Very Good-. 1775. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. xiii, [3], 528 p pages; Contemporary marbled paper-covered boards backed with dark brown calf, raised bands. Spine and covers solidly attached, but the spine is worn with a few portions of the rear gutter quite rubbed. Only traces remain of the gilt stamping of the title in the second panel. The frontispiece (an engraved portrait of Shakespeare) is missing. Scattered foxing, some toning and a few moderate stains to the margins of several leaves. First edition. The author, Elizabeth Griffith [1727-1793] was born in Wales, but must be considered Irish. Her father was a Dublin stage actor and theatre manager Thomas Griffith, who had become the official "Master of the Revels in Ireland" at the time of his daughter's birth. Elizabeth was raised in Dublin where, according to the writer of her DNB entry "[her parents] brought up Elizabeth to be a sociable child, cheerful and at ease among the theatrical community.” Her father also introduced her to literature, in French as well as English. His death in 1744 caused considerable financial hardship for his family. Elizabeth made her Dublin acting debut 13 October 1749 -- [she was "Juliet" alongside a considerably older "Romeo" played by Thomas Sheridan at the Smock Alley Theatre]. By that time, she had already met and fallen in love with a cousin, Richard Griffith. Their five-year courtship provided the material for a six-volume work: 'A Series of Genuine Letters Between Henry and Frances, published between 1757 and 1770. These letters touched on many literary and philosophical ideas and books. The multi-volume work has to be considered a success, earning attention, praise, recognition, but not much money. And money would become an issue for the Griffiths. Richard borrowed money to start a linen factory; alas, this went bankrupt in 1756. Elizabeth, between her stage appearances and writing, was the main source of her family's support. She also published translations from the French and undertook the writing of plays. Her third play, 'The Double Mistake' was sufficiently successtul at London's Covent Garden to encourage her to seek help from the great David Garrick in staging her next play. Indeed, he did so, producing her most successful comedy, 'The School for Rakes,' in 1769. In that same year, Garrick staged the Shakespeare Jubilee in Stratford-upon-Avon -- [so-called, even though it was really five years late for an anniversary celebration]. This Stratford Jubliee was a major focal point in the emerging movement that helped cement Shakespeare as England's national poet; this 1775 volume by Elizabeth Griffith is considered a significant part of that movement. In his speech made on the second day of the Jubilee in Stratford Garrick recognized the Shakespeare Ladies Club as those who "restor'd Shakespeare to the Stage," protecting his fame and erecting "a Monument to his and your own honour in Westminster Abbey." While the well-born ladies praised by Garrick as the "Shakespeare Ladies Club" were active years before either he or Mrs. Griffith were working on the stage, Griffith is certainly conscious of the role women played in calling for Shakespeare to be ever-present on the London stage as a National treasure. Elizabeth Griffith dedicated this 1775 study of hers on Shakespeare to Garrick -- who is more associated with Shakespeare than almost any other actor or producer of the eighteenth century. Her own work is still being assessed and studied in feminist circles. One contemporary assessment of a sort stands out in her life working for the stage. Her least successful play was 'A wife in the Right,' -- first performed on 9 March 1772. Following the opening performance, a second showing for the next night was announced. The crowd responded with "shouts for and against [...] apples and half-pence were thrown, a chandelier broken" and the performance was cancelled. This setback impelled Griffith to publish the play by subscription (only); the subscribers included Edmund Burke, James Boswell, Elizabeth Montagu, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. Not just an actress and writer for the stage, Mrs. Griffith published essays, epistolary novels, novelettes, translations, and literary criticism. As a hard-working professional writer she produced a large body of diverse works. It is worth noting that she worked steadily from about 1760 to 1779 with her pen, motivated by many things including talent, aptitude and financial necessity. Happily, the pressing need for money did ease in the last years of her life. She had managed to spare sufficient funds to secure a position for her son (another Richard Griffith) in the East India Company. He returned to Ireland from his labors as an accountant in that work as a man of wealth. Elizabeth and her husband were able to retire to the mansion in Kildare which their son bought. .