Dryden

1697 · 1008 — <p>True first edition of Dryden's celebrated verse translation of Virgil — the standard English Virgil for over a century Alexander Pope's acknowledged direct model for his Homer 'the most noble and spirited translation I know in any language' and one of the masterpieces of late-Stuart English literary publishing. The work made Dryden £1400 — an enormous sum for a single literary project in the 1690s — and established the model of subscription publishing that would dominate eighteenth-century English book production.</p><p>Folio ordinary paper copy not the rare Large Paper issue measuring 14 x 9.5 inches 36 x 24 cm. Title printed in red and black with the motto 'Sequiturque Patrem non passibus Æquis' Aeneid II 'he follows his father with unequal steps'. Complete with all 101 engraved plates as called for: engraved allegorical frontispiece by Michael Vander Gucht engraved title page and 99 numbered plates</p><p>Complete with all 101 engraved plates as called for: engraved frontispiece by Michael Vander Gucht engraved title page and 99 numbered plates illustrating the Pastorals Georgics and Aeneid. Title printed in red and black; complete subscribers' list bound in preliminaries; complete text including Knightly Chetwood's 'Life of Virgil' William Walsh's preface to the Pastorals and Joseph Addison's preface to the Georgics Addison's first major published prose.</p><p>Condition issues: 1 A small hole in the centre of the title page eliminating one letter within the word 'ÆNEIS' which now reads 'ÆN_IS'; the red-and-black imprint the Vander Gucht engraved frontispiece on the facing leaf and all surrounding text are unaffected. 2 Ragged wear to the outer edge of the title page. 3 Significant ink offsetting throughout the text particularly on the leaves facing each plate — a common condition issue with this book because of the heavy ink load on the engraved plates pressed against text leaves before complete drying. 4 Mild to moderate foxing throughout. 5 Occasional wear to page edges and corners.</p><p>Despite these condition factors the volume is sound and entirely functional the plates themselves are clean and present strong impressions and the textblock is tight in the new binding. A working copy of a famously difficult-to-find-complete folio rather than a presentation copy.</p> Jacob Tonson hardcover