The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope. London: W. Bowyer for Bernard Lintot, 1717-35, folio.
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FIRST EDITION FIRST ISSUE of this scarce set of Alexander Pope's Works released over quite a significant time span, a most excellent copy, retaining the often lacking foldout portrait and errata leaf.
This desirable edition was the first to collect Pope's works, printing some 11 works for the first time. The second volume was the first to name Pope as the author of The Dunciad. These two volumes include, among other things, The Rape of the Lock, his Miscellanies, Ethic Epistles, Satires of Horace and John Donne, The Dunciad, and his translations of Chaucer, Ovid, Statius, and Homer. A third and fourth volume were later printed but are rarely found.
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Size: 235 x 295 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
Vol I: [(1), frontis, [4], a-c4, B-Z4, Aa-Zz4, Aaa-Iii4, 3K2, (1)]
Vol II: [(1), [2], B4, A2, B-I4, K2, B-C4, D2 *F, F-K4, A-L4, A4, B4 (-B4), B-Z4, Aa-Hh4, (1)]
Modern quarter brown morocco over marbled paper backed boards, titles tooled in gilt to spines, dates at foot. Very minor sunning to spines, uniform, else externally exceptional, showing very nicely on the shelf indeed. All boards are securely attached and the bindings are secure, well-bound without being too tight, functional. Later endpapers and pastedowns. Foxed, more so in the first volume than the second, mild toning, else internally bright and well presented. Marginal tear to R2 (vol I) not affecting sense of text. Wide margins, attractive typography. Lacks one leaf in volume two, evidently not belonging to the text proper, either a blank or sectional half title, otherwise collates as complete.
