Memoirs of the Life of Charles Macklin, Esq. 2 Volume Set : Principally Compiled from his Own Papers and Memorandums

Drawing on his own papers and first published in 1799, this two-volume account traces the colourful life of the actor and playwright Charles Macklin (c.1699–1797).

His long career serves as the focal point in a history of the eighteenth-century theatre and its most celebrated performers.

Hailed for his enduring interpretation of Shakespeare's Shylock, a role he played for some fifty years, Macklin has been credited with the theatre's move towards realism.

His life was just as dramatic offstage, marked as it was by a series of controversies and fierce rivalries.

In 1735 he was convicted of the manslaughter of a fellow actor in a quarrel over a wig, and in 1775 he successfully pressed charges of conspiracy against theatregoers who had rioted during his performances.

Volume 1 covers Macklin's childhood and early career, while Volume 2 explores Macklin's later life and includes letters written to his son.