19th Century and Prior Classics

The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – 1716

A rare item by Daniel Defoe. The scarce “enlarged” edition printed and sold by James Roberts in 1716.

Small pocket sized 12mo, 12, 26 pages, bound in contemporary calf backed boards, some age and wear but solid and rare in this original state.

First edition thus. After the accession of Hanover Defoe added a new passage of 49 lines satirizing the English temper. It was hastily published and contains a number of hasty error which ironically confirm its pedigree

A True-born English-man, satirical poem of length about xenophobia … a few could learn from it today. Dutch born William of Orange has become King of England, and there was much tittle tattle about his lack of Englishness. Defoe, forever a wit, wrote this is support of old William of O, ridiculing the notion of English racial purity. Well the evidence is there.

Defoe … much quoted from his opening rant

“that het’rogeneous thing, an Englishman:
In eager rapes, and furious lust begot
Betwixt a painted Britain and a Scot
Whose gend’ring off-spring quickly learn’d to bow,
And yoke their heifers to the Roman plough:
From whence a mongrel half-bred race there came,
With neither name, nor nation, speech nor fame.
In whose hot veins new mixtures quickly ran,
Infused betwixt a Saxon and a Dane
While their rank daughters, to their parents just,
Receiv’d all nations with promiscuous lust.
This nauseous brood directly did contain
The well-extracted blood of Englishmen.”

Daniel Defoe and his True-born a delicious antiquarian rarity

$380.00

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Mother Goose and Her Friends – Adventures in the Old Woman’s Shoe – Maude Radford Warren and Eve Davenport – illustrated by Charles Federer

Absurdly wonderful book of tales, published by Hodder & Stoughton, first English edition 1923. Large thick octavo, 309 pages, with ten tipped in coloured plates, fancy end papers, coloured plate pasted to front board. A trifle age – really a super copy, by any standards very good for a book now over a century old.

Traditional children’s stories with no prejudice and positive messages and lots of fun. Old King Cole was a merry old soul and Simple Simon’s pieman had a very large pie on his head.

Stories for children that pass the test of time

$50.00

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Crime Fiction 1749-1980 – A Comprehensive Bibliography – Plus 1981-1985 Supplement – Allen J. Hubin

Bibliographies in print; so much easier and fuller in satisfaction than online look-up – the latter’s ease offset by growing unreliability. There is a saying in the trade – if its Crime it has to be Hubin.

Two solid volumes only really suitable for domestic purchase. Original editions in their expected green cloth covered bindings – title in gilt to front and spine. I trifle aged in the end papers otherwise a nice set.

Suggestion for the dullest party game of all time – “think of a crime novel not in Hubin” … can last for hours.

Voyager thought he had all the Simenon Maigret in his collection – not so – 126 different issues recorded – [not sure of the duplicates – not as many as you think] – so we are not even half way there!

Hubin – essential reference for all crime story devotees .

$80.00

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Nugae Canorae Medicae – Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan – First edition 1850 – With Additional Contemporary Manuscript Content

Translates literally “Silly Medical Songs” and they are. Andrew Douglas Maclagan (1812-1900) was an eminent Scottish surgeon and toxicologist. In his lifetime he was President of five of the mots distinguished Societies in Scotland. As a toxicologist he was called to Court to give evidence … as a young man he supported the prosecution in the Burke and Hare affair.

Printed by Thomas Constable, Edinburgh in 1850 – a first edition (it was reprinted in 1873). Effectively self published. Maclagan vaguely covered his identity as the author is names as “The Poet Laureate of the New Town Dispensary”. Octavo, bark brown embossed cloth covered boards with gilt titling to front, 82 pages with manuscript additions to rear end paper. Remnant seal to back paste down.

Given the period any reader will be pleasantly surprised how amusing the said poem/songs are … and much fun must have been had with them. Footnotes have been provided which explain the circumstances and sometimes individuals at fault or lampooned. No punches held.

What makes this copy more charming is the manuscript addition. Internally they sometimes correct the events suggested. At the rear we have in neat manuscript further ditties by Maclagan that are not in the published work. Clearly someone who knew the great man very well. 19thC press clipping re Maclagan affixed front free end.

Silly Songs by a most distinguished physician.

$180.00

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The Picture of Kebes the Theban – Rendered into English by Hugh E Seebohm – Rare Private Printing Essex House Press [Following Kelmscott] 1906

A scarce little delight of a book by the intellectual banker Hugh Exton Seebohm (1867-1946). Seebohm’s father was expert in classical matters and his family followed in his footsteps as well as increasing significantly the value of the family pile. Small squarish octavo, 52 pages, title page printed in red and black, three page note at end printed in red. Olive grey papered boards with separate paper title to front and spine. A very good copy.

Seebohm also issued a book on the Structure of Greek Tribal Society.

The original of this work known as the “Tabula Cebetis”, an influential antique dialogue which addresses questions relating to the way of life.

A translation of the only existing book of Kebes, who was a disciple of Philolaus and a friend of Socrates.

Essex House was founded by Charles Ashbee in 1898 using printing gear from the then closed Kelmscott Press of William Morris. True Arts & Crafts style .. Ashbee regarded as a founder of the movement with his Guild. Great care was taken with the typographical design and the wild carnation motif which represented Essex House Press at the rear.

Would make a delightful gift for the thoughtful.

Essex House Printing of Seebohm’s translation of Kebes … a true book lovers delight.

$140.00

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The Awakening of the Soul – Ibn Tufail – from the translation of Paul Bronnle -1907

A scarce translation of Hayy ibn Yaqzan a 12th Century work by Moorish philosopher Ibn Tufail. The first philosophical novel ever written.

Small octavo, 87 pages, missing blank free end paper, clean inside, good green cloth covered boards with title and design to front, titles similarly on spine. Very scarce.

Published by the Orient Press, London as part of the Wisdom of the East Series. We believe this publisher was part of the John Murray enterprise.

The work not only had an influence or later Arabic work but also, over time, a significant influence in Europe, especially during the period of European Enlightenment.

An allegorical novel which recounts the story of a feral child who is brought up by a gazelle alone in the desert. Without any human contact the child discovers ultimate truth through a process of reasoned enquiry. The child, Hayy, meets a castaway Absal through whom he understands the human desires for material goods … Hayy concludes that such things are distractions and should be abandoned to maintain ultimate truth.

As an aside the author had a varied career including physician to the Almohad King and was a supporter of dissection and autopsy .. expressed in the novel.

Small but powerful first philosophical novel – scarce in this form.

$45.00

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The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – 1716

Mother Goose and Her Friends – Adventures in the Old Woman’s Shoe – Maude Radford Warren and Eve Davenport – illustrated by Charles Federer

Crime Fiction 1749-1980 – A Comprehensive Bibliography – Plus 1981-1985 Supplement – Allen J. Hubin

Nugae Canorae Medicae – Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan – First edition 1850 – With Additional Contemporary Manuscript Content

The Picture of Kebes the Theban – Rendered into English by Hugh E Seebohm – Rare Private Printing Essex House Press [Following Kelmscott] 1906

The Awakening of the Soul – Ibn Tufail – from the translation of Paul Bronnle -1907

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