The Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution . . . Third Edition.
Boston: Printed by I. Thomas and E. T. Andrews, 1791. Edition: First Boston edition. Bibliographical References: Evans 23661; Howes P-31. More
Featured Items
Memoires Relating to the State of the Royal Navy of England . . .
[London]: Printed Anno, 1690. Edition: First edition, the issue for private distribution without the commercial imprint on the title-page; the regular issue has the full imprint: "London: Printed for Ben. Griffin, and are to be sold by Sam. Keble, 1690." Bibliographical References: Pforzheimer 793 (regular issue with the full imprint);... More
Miscellaneous Pieces Relating to the Chinese.
London: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, 1762. Edition: First edition. Bibliographical References: NCBEL II, 242. ¶ An early work by Thomas Percy (1729-1811), and an interesting work of English Sinology. Within a few years Percy would gain literary fame for his Relics of Ancient English Poetry (1765). The eight... More
The Unlovelinesse of Love-Lockes. Or a Summarie Discourse, Prooving: The Wearing and Nourishing of a Lock or Love-Locke, to be Altogether Unseemely, and Unlawfull unto Christians . . .
London: Printed, Anno, 1628. Edition: First edition, one of two issues, the difference being the spelling of "needs" on page 19. Bibliographical References: STC 20477.5. A rare and early work by pamphleteer and lawyer William Prynne (1600-1669), who was tried twice by the Star Chamber for sedition, but later served... More
Original mezzotint engraving by James Watson after Joshua Reynolds’ first portrait of Samuel Johnson, circa 1769.
[London:] Engraved by James Watson for R[obert] Sayer, circa 1769. ¶ The first portrait by Reynolds of his friend Samuel Johnson, a famous pose of Johnson, gesturing with his hands, absorbed in thought, appearing pensive and contemplative. The original oil is at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Robert Sayer... More
The Fatal Legacy; A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincolns-Inn Fields.
London: Printed for E. Symon, J. Roberts and A. Dodd, 1723. Edition: First edition. Bibliographical References: ESTC N9868. A translation and adaptation of Racine's La Thébaide. The anonymous dedication states "This tragedy was writ by a young lady, and entrusted to my management . . . The four first acts... More
Holograph manuscript, not signed, fair copy of a Scottish song, first line: "It's hame & it's hame & it's hame I wad be."
Circa 1820. Edition: Apparently not published in this form. ¶ A traditional Scottish song, a shorter version of which Scott included in The Fortunes of Nigel (1822), page 476. James Hogg also had a version of this song in his The Jacobite Relics of Scotland (1819-1821). Scott collected his own... More
A complete set of the five Seatonian Prize Poems won by Christopher Smart, 1750-1756, viz: On the Eternity of the Supreme Being, A Poetical Essay; On the Immensity of the Supreme Being. A Poetical Essay; On the Omniscience of the Supreme Being, A Poetical Essay; On the Power of the Supreme Being. A Poetical Essay; On the Goodness of the Supreme Being. A Poetical Essay.
Cambridge: Printed by J. Bentham, 1753-56. Edition: Third edition; second edition; second edition; first edition; first edition (respectively). Bibliographical References: Cf. Rothschild 1865; NCBEL II, 590. ¶ The famous Seatonian Prize Poems, an annual award that commenced in 1750 with the bequest of clergyman Thomas Seaton (1684-1741), who dictated that... More
Fortune in Her Wits, or, the Hour of all Men. Written in Spanish by the Most Ingenious Don Francisco de Quivedo Villegas . . . Translated into English by Capt. John Stevens.
London: Printed for R. Sare, F. Saunders and Tho. Bennet, 1697. Edition: First edition in English. Bibliographical References: Wing Q-188. ¶ The first English translation of Quevedo's La Hora de Todos y la Fortuna con Seso, a biting satire of Spanish politics under the king's minister Olivaries, written under the... More
Original photographic portrait of poet George Sterling.
[San Francisco: William Dassonville], 1915. A rare and fine photographic portrait of the prominent California poet George Sterling (1869-1926), taken by the prominent California photographer, William Dassonville (1879-1957) and inscribed to Dassonville by Sterling in the lower left corner of the image: "Dear Dassonville: This is the best picture ever... More
A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy. By Mr. Yorick.
London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt, 1768. Edition: First edition, with page 150, line 12, in state 2 in the first volume and page 133, last line, in state 1 in volume 2. Bibliographical References: Rothschild 1971; NCBEL II, 949. ¶ A famously enduring work of... More
Walden.
Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1862. Edition: First edition, second printing, earliest issue of the advertisements with the May date; a second issue of this edition contained advertisements dated August, 1862. Bibliographical References: Borst A2.1.b; cf. BAL 20106 for the first printing. Thoreau's famous work, here in its second printing published... More
The Provok’d Wife: A Comedy, As it is Acted at the New Theatre, in Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields. By the Author of a New Comedy call’d the Relapse, or Virtue in Danger.
London: Printed by J. O. for R. Wellington and Sam. Briscoe, 1697. Edition: First edition. Bibliographical References: Wing V-55; Pforzheimer 1020; NCBEL II, 749. ¶ Vanbrugh's third play and one of his most representative and successful comedies of manners. Vanbrugh was at work on another play at the time of... More
Notes and Fragments: Left by Walt Whitman and Now Edited by Dr. Richard Maurice Bucke, One of His Literary Executors.
(London, Ontario: Printed for the Editor by A. Talbot) For Private Distribution Only, 1899. Edition: First edition, number 64 of 225 numbered copies, signed by Traubel. Bibliographical References: Myerson A17, binding B (there were only three copies in binding A); BAL 21451. An important and substantial collection of literary fragments... More
Poems, On Various Subjects, By Ann Yearsley, A Milkwoman of Clifton, Near Bristol; Being Her Second Work.
London: Printed for the Author, and Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1787. Edition: First edition. Bibliographical References: Jackson, Romantic Poetry by Women, page 384; NCBEL II, 698. ¶ The second book of poetry by Ann Yearsley, a substantial collection that includes personal poems ("To those who accuse... More