SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH

CENTURY AUTHORS

BURKE, EDMUND. A VOLUME OF PAMPHLETS.

8vo. Old boards, leather back. Nine pamphlets including:

SPEECH OF EDMUND BURKE, Esq., Member of Parliament for the City of Bristol. . . . A Plan for the Better Security of the Independence of Parliament. London, Dodsley, 1780.

Presentation copy.

On the half-title is Burke's autograph inscription:

"To Mr. Boswell from Mr. Burke."

SPEECH OF EDMUND BURKE, Esq., at the Guildhall in Bristol, upon Certain Points Relative to his Parliamentary Conduct. London, Dodsley, 1780.

Presentation copy.

On the half-title is Burke's autograph inscription:

"From Mr. Burke to Mr. Boswell."

A SERMON Preached at St. Thomas's for the Benefit of the Charity School. . . . By Joseph Towers. London, 1777.

On the half-title is the autograph inscription:

"From the author to James Boswell, Esq."

On a fly-leaf is a list of the pamphlets, in the autograph of Boswell.

The speeches by Burke are two of the most interesting examples of his eloquence. In the first, alluding to the condition of France, the orator said:

"If we should see any genius in war and politics arise in France, to second what is done in the Bureau!-I turn my eyes from the consequences."

When these words were spoken, Napoleon Buonaparte was twelve years old, and had been for one year at the military school of Brienne.

The other speech refers to the American Revolution: "that era of calamity, disgrace, and downfall; an era which no feeling mind will ever mention without a tear for England."

BURNS, ROBERT. POEMS, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. Printed for the Author, and sold by William Creech. Edinburgh, 1787.

8vo. Old half calf. With portrait by Nasmyth.

First Edinburgh edition.

Bound with this copy is The Scot's Musical Museum, Humbly Dedicated to the Catch Club. By James Johnson. Edinburgh, 1788. 8vo. With music. Vol. II.

This is a presentation copy from Burns to Anne Murray, with the following inscription in the poet's hand:

"To Mrs. Murray, Jedburgh, with Mr. Burns' best compliments."

Mrs. Murray's signature is on the title-page of Burns's "Poems."

That this and the other volumes of "The Scot's Musical Museum" should be included among the first editions of Burns is proved by Allan Cunningham's preface to the collective edition of 1834 (Vol. IV):

"It is intimated by Currie that Burns contributed liberally to Johnson's Musical Museum. . . . Cromek speaks more plainly: 'Burns contributed, gratuitously, not less than 184 original, altered, and collected songs. The editor has seen 180 transcribed by his own hand for the Museum.' Both might have added that the prefaces to the second, third, and fourth volumes were written by Burns, and that to his industry we owe many of the truly original airs with which the publication abounds."

POEMS. Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. By Robert Burns. The Third Edition. London, 1787.

8vo. Diamond calf, gilt, marbled edges.

First London edition.

This copy belonged to Samuel Rogers, the poet, and contains his book-plate. On the fly-leaf Rogers has written:

"The bequest of my respected and venerable friend, Mrs. Simpson."

THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN BURNS AND CLARINDA; with a Memoir of Mrs. M'Lehose (Clarinda), ar

ranged and edited by her grandson W. C. M'Lehose. Edinburgh, 1843.

Engraved title-page and frontispiece; portrait of Burns; portrait of Clarinda and facsimile; a view of her house, and a representation of the two drinking-cups presented to her by Burns.

8vo. Polished calf, uncut.

Inserted at page 159 is part of one of Burns's original letters to Clarinda, being a postscript as follows:

"Evening 9 o'clock.

I am here, absolutely unfit to finish my letter-pretty hearty after a bowl, which has been constantly plied since dinner till this moment. I have been with Mr. Sthe musician, and he has set it finely. I have no distinct ideas of anything, but that I have drunk your health twice to-night and that you are all my soul holds dear in this world.

SYLVANDER."

THE WORLD. By Adam Fitz-adam. Vol. II. A new edition. Edinburgh, 1774.

Post 8vo. Old calf.

With the signatures and autograph notes of Robert Burns and Edmund Kean. This volume was owned and read by two of the greatest geniuses and most erratic characters that the world has known: the plowman poet and the strolling player, both self-taught and each representing the highest achievement in his art; brothers in their vicissitudes and vagabondage.

The autograph of Burns is on the title-page, and after each essay he has written the name of the author: Garrick, Chesterfield, Walpole, etc. There are also comments written by the poet: "A most beautiful poem," "A work of native genius," etc. After Burns's death the volume belonged to Edmund Kean, whose autograph is on the flyleaf and who has also made marginal notes. On the inside back cover a former owner has written: "Lately the property of Edmund Kean. Bought at the sale of his property at Robins', June 17th, 1834."

AUTOGRAPH LETTER from Robert Burns to James Smith, Mauchline.

I p., folio.

An extraordinary letter, apparently unpublished and known to the biographers of Burns only through a short extract printed by Lockhart in 1828.

Written at a critical period in the life of Burns and referring to his liaison with Jean Armour. The parents of Miss Armour had destroyed the written declaration of marriage he had given her, preferring her loss of reputation to a marriage with Burns. Lockhart says, referring to this letter:

"When Burns was informed of Miss Armour's condition, the announcement staggered him like a blow. He saw nothing for it but to fly the country at once."

The Kilmarnock edition of his poems had brought him in a little money, and he proposed to use this in paying his passage to America. A part of the letter is as follows:

"Against two things, I am fixed as fate: staying at home and owning her conjugally. The first, by Heaven, I will not do! The last, by Hell, I will never do! . . . For me, I am witless, wild, and wicked, and have scarcely any vestige of the [grace?] of God in me, except a pretty large portion of honor, and an enthusiastic, incoherent benevolence. . . . If you see Jean, tell her I will meet her; so help me Heaven in my hour of need! . . ."

Burns did both things which he declared he would never do. He stayed at home, and two years later he publicly acknowledged Jean Armour as his wife, and lived with her till death did them part, though in the interval he had met and loved "Clarinda."

This letter was contributed by Mr. James Lamb to the Burns Centenary Exhibition.

COWPER, WILLIAM. THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL FOR WIT. NOS. II, III, and IV. London, 1743.

Post 8vo. Old half calf.

This copy belonged to William Cowper. On the title-page is his autograph: "Wm. Cowper. Wants No. I to be compleat."

With Cowper's book-plate.

FIELDING, HENRY. THE HISTORY OF THE ADVENTURES OF JOSEPH ANDREWS and of his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams. Written in Imitation of the Manner of Cervantes. London, 1742.

2 vols., small 8vo. Original calf binding. First edition.

This copy belonged to William Hogarth and has his autograph on the inside of the front cover of Vol. I. Inserted are two old engraved portraits: one of Hogarth, by himself; the other of Fielding, an old copperplate, after Hogarth. Regarding the latter, the story is told that, after Fielding's death, it was found that no portrait of him was in existence, and Garrick is said to have posed as the novelist. The actor's powers of facial expression and the artist's memory of his friend contributed to the only known portrait of Fielding.