Goldsmith, Oliver (Cope, Creswick, Horsley, Redgrave, & Tayler, Illustrators)

The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith

London, England: White and Allen, 1889. Cope, Creswick, Horsley, Redgrave, & Tayler. Limited Edition. Hardcover. “Logicians have but ill defin’d / As rational, the human mind / Reason, they say, belongs to man-- / But let them prove it if they can.” (“The Logicians Refuted,” page 79). Irish novelist, playwright, dramatist, and poet Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) was one of the founding members of “The Club” in London in 1764 with the likes of Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), and Edmund Burke (1729-1797). Goldsmith was described as impetuous and disorganized, somewhat naïve though sincere, and a happy man though frequently without money or a job. Fellow Club member Horace Walpole (1717-1797) labeled Goldsmith an “inspired idiot” in reference to his writing and his lifestyle. Washington Irving (1783-1859) wrote a biography of Goldsmith published in 1849, and he was found to have been compiling a “Universal dictionary of the arts and sciences” with articles and essays by his esteemed colleagues and contemporaries. It was never completed due to his untimely death by a kidney infection in 1774. This volume is a collection of Goldsmith’s poetry and notes on said poems with 38 accompanying illustrations by wood engravings pasted in throughout. We obtained this item from an auction, and so the origins are unknown. Hardcover, no dust jacket, as issued: Limited Edition, as stated on copyright page. Book is in Near Fine condition with slight rubbing to front and back cover causing very minimal fading to the gold and black pattern. Also minor rubbing, bumping to top and bottom of spine and to the title panel. The illustrations are between 2.5” x 4.5” and 4.5” x 5” and show dark spots in the corners and along some edges where they were glued down. These spots bleed through some pages. All illustrations and pages are accounted for. The page edges are uncut and thus show some minor folding at the corners and edges. The inside cover includes a cream-colored paper name plate that reads “Charles H. Baker / No. 109” and there is an inscription that reads “Charles H. Baker / Christmas 1889 / From Gladys.” These names, written during this volume's year of publication, are a mystery, though I found a Charles Baker born in London in 1876. This edition was limited to 500 copies divided between England and America, though there is also an edition that is limited to 200 copies, similarly split intercontinentally, numbered and signed by the publisher. An extra handling fee will be added for shipping due to the weight of this item. Near Fine. [Item #5742]

Price: $85.00 save 10% $76.50