EDINBURGH-PENNED Manuscript Mary Stuart A Tragedy In Three Acts Adapted From The German Of Schiller By Frances Ann Kemble Frances Ann Kemble - Friedrich Schiller Manuscript

A manuscript fair copy of Fanny Kemble's adaptation of Mary Stuart, executed with some skill in Edinburgh in the 1860s, shortly after the play's publication in this form. Red morocco binding signed by Seton and Mackenzie of Edinburgh on the front turn-in; all edges gilt. Darkening and rubbing to extremities of the binding. Yellow coated endpapers; paper stock of manuscript with a 'Super Line' watermark. Manuscript title page followed by Dramatis Personae and then the text on rectos only, foliated 1-67. Neither the title page, dramatis personae nor text seem to match any known edition of Kemble's adaptation but the 1863 Longmans edition seems most likely to be the source for this copy. The writer has used purple underlining to highlight stage directions and character names. The writer has placed their calligraphic monogram at the end of Act I (p29) Act II (p44) and Act III (p67). This appears to be some form of 'Gosworth' or perhaps 'Bosworth' but the name of the manuscript's writer remains indentified by us. Laid in is a bookplate for C.B. Kemble. Mary Stuart is a verse play by Friedrich Schiller that depicts the last days of Mary, Queen of Scots which had its première in Weimar, Germany on 14 June 1800 and formed the basis for Donizetti's opera Maria Stuarda (1835) and Kemble's adaptation into English which first appeared in print in 1863. Fanny Kemble (1809-1893) emerged from an eminent acting family but achieved huge success very early in her career despite hoping that she might make her way as a writer. Her Mary Stuart formed part of that plan, copied here, perhaps for presentation, back in the Scottish Queen's homeland. Please contact Christian White Rare Books Ltd for more information or images of this item