The Plays: of William Shakespeare [in Ten Volumes. With the Corrections and Illustrations of various Commentators. To which are added, Notes by Samuel Johnson, LL.D]

EXCELLENT SET IN CONTEMPORARY BINDING - THE FIRST DUBLIN EDITION OF JOHNSON'S EDITION
first Irish edition of Johnson's edition 10 vols. 12mo. Vol.I: [2 (title)], cliii (misnumbered "clii"), [1 (blank)], 251, [3 (additional notes)]; Vol.II: [2 (title)], 436; Vol.III: [4 (half-title & title)], 403, [1 (blank)]; Vol.IV: [4 (half-title & title)], 368; Vol.V: [4 (half-title & title)], 327, [1 (epilogue)]; Vol.VI: [4 (half-title & title)], 435, 1 (blank)]; Vol.VII: [2 (title)], 423, [1 (blank)]; Vol.VIII: [2 (title)], 426; Vol.IX: [4 (half-title & title)], 514; Vol.X: [2 (title)], 433, [1 (blank)], [4 (appendix)]pp., contemporary calf, spines with raised bands and deep maroon and dark blue morocco labels gilt, title labels apparently at some point renewed, without (as issued) the portrait plate included in some copies, 5 spines a trifle scuffed at headbands, some light scratches, but a nice set in its original binding. Rare, and especially so complete and in the original bindings.
Some volumes with contemporary inscription "Thomas Farrell/ Merrion Square" on front endpaper and others with the engraved armorial bookplate of James Farrell.

ESTC t42453 lists 24 copies in 17 libraries, but most of these are defective in lacking volumes and/or title pages or the plate, and a maximum of 8 complete sets are located. Vol.3 misdated 1756 as usual. This copy is the variant which omits the name of the bookseller H. Bradley from the title pages.
Johnson's edition of The Plays first appeared in 1765 (8 vols.) with two separate printings, the earliest with a different state of Johnson's preface from the second. In this Dublin edition the preface was "reprinted from the uncorrected first state" [Henry Paul]. Before Paul's article of 1934 the fact that there were two London editions of 1765 had not been noticed. The Dublin edition is very much rarer that the London printings.Although Johnson had first contemplated an edition of Shakespeare in 1745 it did not appeared until 1765. His edition was widely praised and provided a considerable impetus to Shakespearean studies. Its preface in particular attracted "general admiration. Adam Smith is said to have called it 'the most manly piece of criticism that was ever published in any country' [and] In the Cambridge edition both Preface and notes are described as 'distinguished by clearness of thought and diction and by masterly common sense'" [Courtney & Smith].
James Farrell (1748-1823), a rich Catholic brewer and moneylender, lived at Merrion Square, Dublin. Until their relaxation in the 1780s he was debarred from owning land but in 1790 he bought Moynalty, Co. Meath and five neighbouring townlands for £34,500. His son Thomas, also of Merrion Square and his descendants built a country house there and developed the modern village of Moynalty.Vide: Henry N. Paul 'Johnson's Shakespeare 1765' in University of Pennsylvania Library Chronicle, vol.2, no. 1, (1934), p.1-3
Courtney & Smith Bibliography of Johnson, pp. 103-08.