The Aldine Edition of the British Poets. The Poetical Works of Charles Churchill with Copious Notes and a Life of the Author by W. Tooke F.R.S.
1844. London: William Pickering, 1844.
Three vols., 8vo., cxii, 256; 352; 355, [1] pp., engraved frontisportrait, and Aldine device on the title-page. Contemporary half green calf, red marbled boards heightened in gilt, five raised bands with gilt-tooled panel decoration to backstrip, red and black morocco label strips with title information in gilt to backstrip, marbled endpapers. Joints and corners of boards have some slight rubbing, minor foxing to outer margins; otherwise very good. Bookplate of Thomas Lee Marshall to first pastedown.
§ First edition thus, with a preface and “Life of Charles Churchill” by W. Tooke. The Aldine Poet Series was a 20 year project that involved printing new editions of classic British poets from Chaucer through to the 19th Century. They were published in 53 volumes during the years 1830-1844. Pickering secured John Mitford and Alexander Dyce as editors with Sir Harris Nicolas, so that the series would be of a high standard. The Works of Charles Churchill form the only volumes not edited by the above-mentioned scholars, and were not published until 1844, due to their late appearance fewer copies were sold of these than those others in the series. Item #108319
Price: $300.00