The Observer: Being a Collection of Moral, Literary and Familiar Essays

London: C. Dilly, 1798. Leather. Very Good. 7" by 4.5". None. Richard Cumberland's extensive collection of one-hundred and fifty-two fantastic essays exploring a wide range of literary and historical subjects. Complete in six volumes.'The Observer' is an extensive collection of essays, containing one-hundred and fifty two essays in total.Cumberland's essays range in subject vastly, discussing the typical subjects of literary criticism on Shakespeare, Milton, and others, with essays on more general subjects and historical essays smattered throughout.A particularly interesting essay is number twenty-seven, 'Remarks Upon Novels; Particularly of Richardson's Clarissa', in which Cumberland attempts to imitate Henry Fielding.The third volume contains a lengthy essay discussing Greek comedy, a subject that Cumberland was passionate about since receiving some of Richard Bentley's books and papers. The essays also contain his own translations of Greek poetry.This edition contains a translation of 'The Clouds', an Ancient Greek comedy play written by Aristophanes. The comical play lampoons the intellectual fashions of classical Athens.Richard Cumberland was an English dramatist and civil servant, best known for his play 'The West Indian'. He also served in the American War of Independence as a secret negotiator with Spain.The fifth edition of this work. In a full mottled calf binding. Externally, generally smart. Light discolouration to the spines. Minor bumping to the head and tail of the spines and to the extremities, with a little loss to the head of the spines of Volumes I and II. Light marks to the boards and spines. Small crack to the head of the front joint of Volume I, head of the rear joint of Volume V, and to the tail of the front joint of Volume VI. A small amount of loss to the head of the rear joint of Volume VI. Endpapers are a little discoloured with a couple of light tidemarks. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean, with a few odd spots. Very Good