Shakespeare (William) The Works... Revis'd and Corrected, with an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author, by N. Rowe, 5 vol. only (of 7; vol. 1-4 & 7), first illustrated edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works, vol. 1-4 each with frontispiece and 27 engraved plates, vol. 7 with engraved frontispiece, decorative head-pieces and initials to all, vol. 2 one plate with small tear (no loss), some damp-staining and foxing, mainly to vol. 1-4, contemporary paneled calf, spines gilt, but faded and lacking morocco labels, vol. 1 covers & vol. 2 upper cover detached, otherwise joints cracked but stitching holding, vol. 1-4 spine heads chipped, vol. 7 lower cover small portion calf torn away at foot, extremities otherwise generally a bit worn, [Jaggard, p.497], 8vo, for Jacob Tonson [and E. Curll & E. Sanger], 1709 [-10].

⁂ The first illustrated edition of Shakespeare's plays. "In importance and interest, this edition ranks second perhaps to the editio princeps. It is the first manual text, the first to present a biography of the poet, the first to bear an editor's name, the first to possess illustrations, and the first of the endless army of editions in octavo" (Jaggard).

For his contribution to this project, Rowe is widely considered the first 'editor' of Shakespeare's works; his practical knowledge helped him to divide the plays into both scenes and acts, including the entrances and exits of the players. He was also one of the first to prefix each play with a list of the dramatis personae and to write a 'life of the author'. Rowe worked from the somewhat textually corrupt Fourth Folio, which many subsequent 18th century also followed. To Tonson's original 6 vol. of the dramatic works, a 7th followed a year later (by published by E. Curlll & E. Sanger), who added poetry and critical remarks on his plays by C Gildon.