'The Cholera Morbus or Love and Fright: a comic sketch in one act'

Script for a one-act play performed at the Royal Coburg Theatre, London, in November 1831. The front cover is inscribed 'Cholera Morbus, R.C.T., Novr 1831'. The script is annotated in pencil in a contemporary hand, with the names of the cast, excision of some scenes, additional stage directions and some changes to the dialogue

A contemprary critic gave the following summary of the plot: 'A young lady escapes from a miserly old guardian, who pursues her, exclaiming ''Collar her! Collar her!'' This is taken by afrighted neighbours as a proof of his being affected by the disease; he is chased into, and nailed up in, his own house, where he is visited by the village apothecary, in a cholera-proof dress; his papers are burnt, agreeably to the directions of the ''Board'', and among these is the Power by which he is invested with the control over the young lady, who is of course thus left at liberty to marry her lover, and the mistake as to the collar-her being explained, all ends in the usual happy manner' (The album of literature and amusement, vol. II, London, 1831, p. 309).

November 1831

1 volume 1 volume: 225 x 190 mm. 1 leaf + 27ff. Brown paper covers.

Purchased from Samuel Gedge Ltd, May 2016

Although the author of the script is not identified by name in the original text it is certain that the initials 'BW' at the foot of the first leaf are his, as the handwriting has been definitively assigned to Webster by comparison with another of his play scripts in the British Library (Add. Ms. 42957). His authorship is confirmed by a later pencil annotation on the same leaf.

Small blue label at base of first leaf: 'Barry Duncan, 11 St Martin's Court, London WC2. Theatrical Books, Prints, Souvenirs' [20th cent].