[PICTORIAL BINDING.] BOWDLER, Jane. Poems and Essays … The seventh edition.

[PICTORIAL BINDING.] BOWDLER, Jane. Poems and Essays … The seventh edition.[PICTORIAL BINDING.] BOWDLER, Jane. Poems and Essays The seventh edition. Bath: printed by R. Cruttwell; and sold by C. Dilly, Poultry, J. Robson and T. Hookham, New Bond Street, London; and N. R. Cheyne, Edinburgh. 1793. 8vo. Contemporary pictorial tree calf binding with central motif of an angel holding a trumpet to both boards, double ruled in gilt with corner pieces, flat spine gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers; pp. vi, [2], 289, [1], title

[PICTORIAL BINDING.] BOWDLER, Jane. Poems and Essays … The seventh edition. Bath: printed by R. Cruttwell; and sold by C. Dilly, Poultry, J. Robson and T. Hookham, New Bond-Street, London; and N. R. Cheyne, Edinburgh. 1793.

8vo. Contemporary pictorial tree calf binding with central motif of an angel holding a trumpet to both boards, double-ruled in gilt with corner pieces, flat spine gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers; pp. vi, [2], 289, [1], title with printer's device, woodcut head-, and tailpieces; at some point affected by water damage, causing some light warping to the boards and text block; hinges cracked, but holding firm, extremities slightly worn, but overall a good copy; armorial bookplate of the David Carnegie, 10th Earl of Northesk (1865-1921) to front pastedown; previous owner's bookplate removed from front free endpaper; contemporary ownership inscription of 'MA Elver' to half-title; later ownership marking to rear free endpaper.

Seventh edition of Miss Bowdler's Poems and Essays in a striking and very unusual pictorial tree calf binding.

Four years after losing her voice in 1777, Jane Bowdler (1743-1784) took pen and paper. Writing was both a refuge and an outlet and this is Bowdler's only work, published posthumously, whereupon it was received with high acclaim. Such was its success that sixteen editions appeared throughout the eighteenth century. Poems and Essays is even rumoured to have taken the fancy of Queen Charlotte, who supposedly read it several times.

Jane Bowdler was born surrounded by a literary family, being the sister of Thomas Bowdler, a well-known producer of censored editions of Shakespeare, expurgated works thought to have been edited in large by his other literary sister Harriet. After this seventh edition was printed, her mother died and, in the will, specifically stated that a special edition of Poems and Essays be published in the place of a conventional mourning ring.

This edition was dedicated to The General Hospital of Bath, where Jane Bowdler would have received medical attention for her persistent ill health.

ESTC T129084.

SKU: 2119011