Essay on English poetry
London: John Murray, 1819. First separate edition and according to Lowndes, one of only three copies printed; imperial octavo (28cm.), pp. [4], 271, [1]; contemporary and probably original burgundy full straight-grain morocco by Charles Murton, floriated blind-tooled borders on both covers enclosing a single gilt rule with fleurons in the corners, elaborate gilt decorated spine in six compartments, gilt-lettered direct in one, a.e.g.; slightest rubbing; near fine. This essay was prefixed to the first volume of Campbell's 7-volume edition of Specimens of the English Poets (London, 1819), which Lowndes calls "a much esteemed collection." There was no other edition in England of this essay, save these three printed on large paper, but it was reprinted in a meager octavo in Boston later the same year. Not found in NCBEL or the British Library; OCLC locates (the other two copies?) at Rochester and the Huntington. NUC records a London octavo, 1819, at Boston Public but this is likely an error as a search of the Boston Public on-line database turns up no such record. In a new cloth clamshell box with a morocco label. Item #19643
Price: $2,500.00
