Poems, &c. on Several Occasions
by WILMOT John
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
1691. First Edition . WILMOT, John, Earl of Rochester. Poems, &c. on Several Occasions: with Valentinian, a Tragedy. London: Jacob Tonson, 1691. Octavo, 18th-century full paneled calf rebacked, raised bands, black morocco spine label, endpapers renewed. $5500.First authorized edition of the Earl of Rochester's scandalous poems, edited by Thomas Rymer. The first edition to appear with Rochester's name on the title page, and the first to include his drama Valentinian.""It has been difficult to obtain a proper understanding, much less a proper evaluation, of Rochester's poetry. The obstacle has been its repeated disparagement. This, beginning with John Dryden and Samuel Johnson, reached its apogee in Sir Edmund Gosse. It is based on several misconceptions: the autobiographical fallacy and the charges of plagiarism, blasphemy, and obscurity
Dismissing Rochester's verse as blasphemous and obscene misses the most important point. Impelled by the new science, institutionalized in the Royal Society, all the major Augustans were engaged in the 'endeavor to see things as they are' (Boswell, Life). With Rochester this was both a personal commitment and a political statement
This produced an 'appalling realism' in Rochester's verse (Prinz). But Rochester knew and defended what he was doing: 'Expressions must descend to the nature of things expressed', he told Savile (Letters)"" (ODNB). On Rochester's death in 1680, at the age of 34, a pirated edition of his poems, which had only circulated in manuscript, swiftly appeared. Though the title page stated Antwerp, it was likely printed in London. In 1685 Andrew Thorncome published an unauthorized reprint of that edition. It was only in 1691 that Jacob Tonson published this first authorized edition, edited by Thomas Rymer, ""which presents a somewhat improved text"" (Pforzheimer). This edition includes a Preface by Rymer and ""A Pastoral
Bewailing the Death of the Earl of Rochester."" Also includes his blank-verse tragedy, Valentinian, with separate title page, also dated 1691. Gap in pagination between pages 154 and 369, with 14 unnumbered pages in between, as issued; text complete. Bound with advertisement leaf preceding title page. Wing R1756. Lowndes, 2114. See Pforzheimer 1069. Text generally clean; slight rounding to corners. An extremely good and attractive copy.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Bauman Rare Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 122825
- Title
- Poems, &c. on Several Occasions
- Author
- WILMOT John
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Date Published
- 1691
Terms of Sale
Bauman Rare Books
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About the Seller
Bauman Rare Books
Biblio member since 2009
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
About Bauman Rare Books
In business since 1973, Bauman Rare Books now has locations in New York, Philadelphia and Las Vegas.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Raised Band(s)
- Raised bands refer to the ridges that protrude slightly from the spine on leather bound books. The bands are created in the...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Spine Label
- The paper or leather descriptive tag attached to the spine of the book, most commonly providing the title and author of the...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Rebacked
- having had the material covering the spine replaced. ...
- Reprint
- Any printing of a book which follows the original edition. By definition, a reprint is not a first edition.
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...