"Rule, Britannia!"
Alfred: a Masque. Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's Servants.
London: Printed for A. Millar, opposite to Catherine-Street, in the Strand, 1751.
Price: $500.00
About the item
Second edition, revised, after the first edition of 1740; and the second printing of "Rule Britannia", also revised, with new stanzas added by Lord Bolingbroke. [8], 72 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. "Rule, Britannia!" Sewn. Some light, early waterstaining throughout the text, but a fresh, untrimmed copy, in a quarter brown morocco clamshell box with the book ticket of Donald & Mary Eccles. Rothschild 1362; Tinker 1518.
Item #222968
Originally written for the stage by Thomson and Mallet, with music provided by Thomas Arne, ALFRED was greatly revised by Mallet in 1751 for stage performance - with several changes made in the principal role for David Garrick. Moreover, the original "Rule Britannia" was transformed by the addition of three stanzas by Lord Bolingbroke. So substantial were the revisions for this performance, in fact, Tinker calls this the first edition.
