GOLDSMITH, Oliver (ed.)

The Beauties of English Poesy. Selected by Oliver Goldsmith. In Two Volumes.

London: Printed for William Griffin, 1767. First Edition. Two volumes in full leather. Two 12mo volumes (4 x 6 9/16 inches). Pp. [4], iv, 169, [1, blank], [2, contents]; [4], 262, [2, contents]. Bound without the first and final blank in each volume. Contemporary calf neatly rebacked with original spines and morocco labels laid down. Some browning and occasional staining. Vol. II front free-endpaper and half-title loose; a short tear to lower corner of E2 (pp. 75-76), and small paper flaw to margin of F1 (pp. 97-98), neither affecting text. Slight flaking to joint of Vol. II. An attractive, presentable copy. Very Good. Item #7568

Includes Pope's "The Rape of the Lock," Gray's "An Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard," Samuel Johnson's "London," Dryden's "Alexander's Feast" and Gay's "The Shepherd's Work," among others.

In his preface, Goldsmith writes, "my Bookseller having informed me that there was no collection of English Poetry among us, of any estimation, I thought a few Hours spent in making a proper selection would not be ill bestowed."

Price: $300.00