A Poetical Translation of the Works of Horace: With the Original Text, and Critical Notes Collected from his best Latin and French Commentators. By Mr Philip Francis. In Four Volumes. The Fifth Edition, Revised and Corrected. London: A Millar, 1753.
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An early edition of Philip Francis' important translation of the works of Horace into English. Samuel Johnson famously commented "Francis has done it the best" with respect to his translation, and modern scholars generally agree calling it "highly Horatian."
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Provenance:
Previously sold at Bauman Rare Books, New York with their original catalogue description for this set loosely inserted (undated).
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Size: 137 x 212 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
[xxiii, pp.1-311]; [i, pp.1-383]; [i, pp.1-333]; [i, pp.1-313, i (advertisements)]
Near contemporary full marbled calf with tooled black morocco labels in gilt compartments. Spines chipped, rubbed, and worn with a small amount of loss. Joints cracked with all boards attached, but fragile. The front board of the fourth volume is attached by a single joint at the bottom only. Shelf wear. Volumes three and four with shelf lean such that they are vertically unstable if unsupported by other books on the shelf. Boards generally very good with some light scratches. Edge toning to endpapers as commensurate with the calf bindings. Text blocks very clean throughout, mildly toned. First blank in the first volume loose but present.
