Memoirs of George Fred. Cooke, Esq.

1st Edition 1813. LONDON: Printed for Henry Colburn, British and Foreign Public Library, Conduit-Street, Hanover-Square; and sold by George Goldie, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; 1813. In Two Volumes of uniform size: 13cm x 22cm. Volume I: 344pp; Volume II 362 pp. Uniform half brown leather with marbled paper boards. Marbled edges.Titles and volume numbers in gilt on spine. Frontispiece engraving in Vol. I of Cooke by Cooper from an original miniature. Vol. I printed by B. Clarke, Well Street, London; Vol. II printed by James Gillet, Crown-court, Fleet-street, London. 

Title page notes:  MEMOIRS of George Fred. Cooke, esq. late of The Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. Composed principally from the personal knowledge of the author, and from the manuscript journals left by Mr. Cooke. Comprising original anecdotes of his theatrical contemporaries, his opinions on various dramatic writings, &c. 

George Frederick Cooke (1756 in London – 1812 in New York) was an English actor. As famous for his erratic habits as for his acting, he was largely responsible for initiating the romantic style in acting that was later made famous by Edmund Kean. Cooke may be called the first fully romantic actor in England. He drew on the style of Garrick and Macklin, both of whom he saw in his youth; he expanded on their naturalness and informality of style. He was about 5'10", with a commanding stage presence and a long, aquiline nose. Percy Fitzgerald recalls his "tremendous force and rough declamation."  He was, like Garrick, a restless, physically dynamic performer; critics also noted his skill in using his eyes to convey complex thoughts or emotions, and his ability to project stage-whispers even in a large venue. 

William Dunlap (1766-1839) was a American painter, theatre manager, and art historian and the first American to write a book on the history of art in the United States, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States, 1834, a biographical dictionary of early American artists with commentary.  In 1812 he started the journal Monthly Recorder, a fine arts and literary periodical. He wrote several histories of art and two biographies. His important article on the early history of the American stage, "The History of the American Theatre" appeared in 1832. 

Condition: Bindings tight and in good condition with some wear to spines and corners. Pages very slightly foxed throughout. Vol. II has minor insect damage at base of final few pages and inside of back cover.