Theatre.- Shakespeare.- Rymer (Thomas) A Short View of Tragedy; It's Original, Excellency, and Corruption. With Some Reflections on Shakespear [sic]..., first edition, with initial blank, advertisement f. at end, loss to pastedown and front free endpaper nearly detached, trimmed quite close at head, shaving headline to A3v, a good copy, contemporary calf, manuscript label to spine, wear to spine head and corners, quite rubbed, upper joint split with leather starting to work loose from cover, [Pforzheimer 844; Wing R2429], 8vo, Printed and are to be sold by Richard Baldwin, 1693.

⁂ Includes criticism of Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. Of the former's Othello he writes that it is "none other, than a Bloody Farce, without salt or savour". He concludes that while Shakespeare was a comic genius he showed no talent for tragedy.

Provenance: Sir Joseph Copley (armorial bookplate); Charles Whibley ("Sum Caroli Whibley" book-label); Sir Hugh Walpole (Brackenburn bookplate to front endpaper).