Publii Virgilii Maronis Bucolica, Georgica, et Aeneis. Ex Editione Petri Burmanni. Glasgow: Foulis Press, 1778, folio.
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A beautiful copy of the famous Foulis Press Virgil folio, the first edition thus, here bound in a lovely contemporary binding, finely restored. This book has the most excellent typography as seen in the pictures. This is the variant issue in Foolscap folio format with the paper watermarks 'SP', and 'JC' in double circles as described in Gaskell's bibliography of the Foulis Press.
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Provenance:
Ownership inscription of George Heath dated 1799 to front free endpaper verso.
Bookplate of James Hatch, Esq, (of Clayberry Hall) to front pastedown with shelf reference marks to ffep verso, presumably in his hand.
Blindstamp of Wigan Free Public Library to foot of the title page of volume one.
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Size: 214 x 332 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), (a)4, B-4A2, 6ff., a-4h2, (2)]
Contemporary full calf finely decorated in gilt, finely rebacked, with both boards securely attached. The binding is secure and stands without shelf lean. Some minor rubbing with some shelf & edge wear, inclusive of some minor edge loss to the boards. All edges gilt (contemporaneously). Some minor spotting to endpapers and the odd leaf else generally internally near fine. Very bright and clean through the text block with particularly remarkable typography. Collates as complete, including the often lacking blanks and Subscriber's List, the latter being notable for referencing Adam Smith as a subscriber for this edition. 4A2 is a blank and is present in this copy, often lacking. In the 6ff commencing the second volume there is the half title, title, dedication, note to Quintillianus, 2pp Subscriber's List (wherein Adam Smith is listed), and another blank, all of which are present in this copy. The Subscriber's List is, according to Gaskell, typically bound at the rear, but is here bound in the preliminary matter for the second volume alongside the '4i2' blank, the Subscriber's List is designated as 4i1, despite being unsigned. The blindstamp to the foot of volume one's title page is also present to three other consecutive leaves, but is very small and resides only in the blank marginal space at the foot/fore-edge. An excellent copy of this desirable first folio of Virgil from the Foulis Press.
[Gaskell 639].
