Wit and mirth
Subtitle: or, Pills to purge melancholy; being a collection of the best merry ballads and songs, old and new. Fitted to all humours, having each their proper tune for either voice, or instrument: most of the songs being new set ...
Contributors: Playford, Henry, b. 1657
Publisher: Printed by W. Pearson for J. Tonson
Published: 1876
Place of publication: London; [n.p
Language: eng
Number of pages: 352
Subjects: English Ballads
Other titles: Songs compleat, pleasant and divertive.
Notes: A 19th century reprint from a broken set of the two issues of the 1719-20 edition. Vol. 1, 3-5 belong to the first issue; v. 2 and 6 to the second.

Running title, v. 1, 3-5: Songs compleat, pleasant and divertive; v. 2 and 6: Pills to purge melancholy.

The first edition, 4 v., 1699 (i.e. 1698)-1706, was assembled and published by Henry Playford. The 1719-20 edition was edited by D'Urfey, whose songs (with one by Dryden) make up the first 2 vols. The 1st issue of the 1719-20 edition (5 v. 1719) has title and running title: Songs compleat, pleasant and divertive. The 2d issued (with a 6th vol. dated 1720) has title "Wit and mirth: or, Pills to purge melancholy" and running title "Pills to purge melancholy" cf. Day, Cyrus L. Pills to purge melancholy. Reprinted from the Review of English studies, vol. VIII, no. 30, 1932.