Fables, Ancient and Modern 1713

2nd Edition, 1713 (1700 – large quarto). Printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespear’s Head over-against Katherine-Street in the Strand, LONDON. Octavo, 550 pp, 12.5cm x 19.8cm. Original full brown leather with 6 gilt bordered panels on spine; gilt bordered boards front and back, with gilt floral motif on all corners to front board. Frontispiece after P.L. Vergne, engraved on copper; engraved decorative chapter headings, and initial letters.

Apparently a good deal scarcer than the less convenient 4to edition, as well as having a complete Table, which that did not. Dryden’s celebrated Preface, written in fine prose, contains an excellent appreciation of Chaucer.

Title page: FABLES ANCIENT and MODERN; Translated into VERSE, from HOMER, OVID, Boccace, and Chaucer: with ORIGINAL POEMS. By. Mr, Dryden, followed by Dedication to his Grace the Duke of Ormond, by John Dryden; Preface; a poem to her Grace the Duchess of Ormond; followed by Palamon and Arcite, or The Knight’s Tale, from Chaucer in 3 Books, Then a poem to my Honour’d Kinsman, John Driden of Chesterton in the County of Huntingdon.

Followed by: Meleager and Atalanta out of the Eighth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis; Sigimonda and Guicardo from BOCCACE; Baucis and Philemon out of the Eighth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses; Pygmalion and the Statue, out of the Tenth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis; Cinyras and Myrrha, out of the Tenth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis; the Fisrt Book of Homer’s Ilias; The Cock and the Fox, or the Tale of the Nun’s Priest, from Chaucer; Theodore and Honoria from BOCCACE; Ceyx and Alcyone; The Flower and the Leaf, or, The Lady in the Arbour; Alexander’s Feast, or, The Poer of Musick, An Ode in Honour of St Cecilia’s Day; The Twelth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, wholly translated; The Speeches of Ajax and Ulysses, from the Thirteenth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis; The Wife of Bath, her Tale; Of the Pythagorean Philosophy, from the Fifteenth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis; The Character of a Good Parson, Imitated from Chaucer and Enlarg’d; Cymon and Iphigenia, from BOCCACE; The TABLE (index).

John Dryden (1631 – 1700) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made Poet Laureate in 1668. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden. Walter Scott called him "Glorious John."

Condition: Binding tight but back cover entirely loose and separate. Damage to top and bottom of spine. Some scratches and small area of discoloration (black) to bottom of front cover; also evidence of book worm on front cover. Back cover rubbed and scratched. Corners scuffed and bent. . End papers stained at edges and generally age-toned. Slight evidence of book worm (3 holes) in opening pages. Edge of pages slightly stained. Internal pages generally clean and good. ‘J. Newcome, 1713’ written in ink on inside of front cover; some pencil marks also. Some inked bracket marks to the end of certain lines throughout, as illustrated.

Please note that this book will be posted from the UK.