JONSON, Ben (1572-1637). The Workes, London, 1616-40. 3 volumes, folio, contemporary calf. FIRST EDITION of the most important collection of dramatic works printed in the 17th-century after the first folio of Shakespeare. Sold not subject to return. (3)

JONSON, Ben (c.1572-c.1637).  The Collected Works, comprising: [Volume one:]  The Workes. London: "Imprinted at London by Will Stansby," 1616. Bound in 6s, 2 engraved portraits of the author by Robert Vaughan, each in a different state, the first a stronger impression, the second without imprint, fine engraved architectural title by William Hole, head- and tail-pieces, initials, elaborate engraved baroque titles to "Every Man Out of his Humour" (at [G1]), "Cynthia's Revels [spelt "Revells" in the running title], or The Fountayne of Selfe-Love" (at [P5]), the vol. ending with the final text leaf [Qqqq4] and "The end", followed by a single blank leaf; [Volume II:]  The Workes ... The Second Volume. Containing these Playes, Viz. 1. Bartholomew Fayre. 2. The Staple of Newes. 3. The Divell is an Asse. London: "Printed for Richard Meighen", 1640 [?but 1631], bound in 4s, ending on verso of final text leaf (p. [76]) with "The Epilogue" to "The Staple of Newes"; [Volume III:] [Without a general title, but starting with:] The Magnetick Lady: or, Humors Reconcil'd , with Q4 mis-signed R2, but pagination continuous until p.123 which is mis-paginated 133, and continues thereafter 134, 135, etc., the vol. concluding with Mortimer His Fall [whose title is at [Qq2], but with its text ending at [Qq4] with printed words "Left unfinished" at the foot of verso of final text leaf, numbered 292, followed by a concluding blank]. London: [no printer], 1640, bound in 4s. 3 volumes, folio and 4to (approximately 285 x 180mm). (Some light staining, browning and spotting, E3 in vol. II torn without loss, some staining at gutter of vol. II not affecting letters, a few darker spots.) Near-uniform contemporary calf, vols. I and III with 5 raised bands, vol. II with a flat spine (extremities rubbed, some scuffing). Provenance: The Property of a Lady, by descent from her great grandfather; [Vol. one:] "J. Sheepshanks, Coll. Div. Joan. Cantab. [illegible word] Soc." (old inscription on front free endpaper); [Vol. III:] contemporary inscriptions to title of "Magnetic Lady"; "Mary Stuart her Book by the gift of her [?]uncle and Godfather Handbury, April the 20th 1654" (inscription on verso of title); old manuscript list of contents on verso of A2, and a near-contemporary, caustically disparaging, manuscript poem ("On this Magneticke Lady") on the blank verso of [A4] (author unknown, illustrated); "Perfect. [Illegible word] B. Quaritch. [Illegible name, followed by a date with the year illegible] (old pencil inscription on rear pastedown of vol. III). FIRST COLLECTED EDITION of the most important collection of dramatic works printed in the 17th-century after the first folio of Shakespeare. A number of the part-titles to the plays, and the lettering-piece on the spine of vol. II, [mis]spell the author's surname "Johnson." "Jonson began the preparation of this definitive edition in 1612. He used the quarto texts wherever available but scrupulously and systematically revised them, cutting out many marginal notes, altering spelling, typography and punctuation in accordance with a consistent and somewhat pedantic plan of introducing editorial matter. The result is that this folio edition may be regarded as authoritative. Moreover, Jonson attended the press while it was being printed and introduced many corrections and alterations at that time" (Pforzheimer). This was the first time English plays, masques and "entertaynments" were presented as literary works equal to poetry, and Jonson's collection was the prototype for the publication of his friend and rival Shakespeare's celebrated first folio which appeared in 1623. Brunet  II, 730 (note): "Parmi les anciennes éditions de la même collection, impr. de format in-fol., on distingue celle de Londres, 1616-31, en 2 vol., donnée par l'auteur, et accompagnée de son portrait par Vaughan, et d'un frontisp. gravé. - Les éditions primitives de chacune des pièces de Ben Jonson sont des curiosités fort recherchées en Angleterre, où elles conservent un certain prix"; Hayward English Poetry 59: "First collected edition ... The imprint on the engraved title by Hole exists in three states, the order of which has not been established. Jackson (Pforz. No. 559) inclines to place the state, as above [i.e. as in the present copy], third; F. S. Ferguson, however, considers that it can be proved the first. Jonson's lyric poems were not published separately in his lifetime. Epigrammes and The Forest were published together with his plays and masques in this, the first collected edition of his works which he himself prepared for the press"; Lowndes 1040; Pforzheimer 559 and 560; STC 14751 and 14754. The first two vols. collate happily complete; the third vol. is, frankly, chaotic, with faults in both pagination and signatures, although the sense seems always continuous. The first and early editions of Jonson's collected "Workes" are notoriously problematic bibliographically, appearing in multiple states within the same edition, and, regrettably, for this reason, this set is sold not subject to return. (3)