English Literature (127 items)

Milton, Paradise Lost - A Poem in Twelve Books.

1. 18th century Illustrated Edition of Paradise Lost – Milton, John.

Paradise Lost – A Poem in Twelve Books. A New Edition, with Notes of various Authors, by Thomas Newton [Complete with two Portraits and 12 plates].

Two Volumes (complete set). London, Printed for J. and R. Tonson and S.Draper, 1749. Large Quarto (23 cm x 27.5 cm). Pagination of Volume One: Frontispiece-Portrait of a young John Milton, [18 unnumbered pages of Dedication and Preface], LXI pages of “The Life of Milton”, [5 unnumbered pages of Homage in Verses by Samuel Barrow [Physician to Charles II. and admirer of Milton] and also the important poem on Milton’s Paradise Lost by Andrew Marvell [English Metaphysical Poet and Milton’s ‘Latin Secretary’], 16 pages of “A Critique upon the Paradise Lost – By Mr.Addison” [Joseph Addison], 459 pages with six (6) full-page engravings / Pagination of Volume Two: Frontispiece-Portrait of an elder John Milton (dated 1670), 444 pages including six (6) full-page engravings plus 132 unnumbered pages of Index. Hardcover / Modern, stunning half-leather bound to 18th-century style with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Both Volumes now in protective Mylar. Excellent condition with only a few signs of foxing. The paper in fantastic condition, illustrations and portraits impressive; wide margins make this a great collectable. A rare opportunity to acquire this important publication in a firm and beautiful binding. The exceptional restoration was done by an english master-bindery.

EUR 1.000,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Addison and Steele [Alexander Pope and others], The Spectator (1798 Edition)

2. Addison, Joseph / Steele, Richard ] [Pope, Alexander etc.].

The Spectator. [Authors of this 1798-edition in Eight Volumes include Joseph Addison, Sir Richard Steele, Eustace Budgell, Thomas Tickell, John Hughes, Dr.Thomas Parnell, Alexander Pope, Laurence Eusden, Richard Ince, Henry Martin, John Byrom, Gilbert Budgell, Rev. Richard Parker, Henry Grove, Henley and others / Of the remaining contributors to this work, we may remark that their papers are either so few or so littlea ccount can be given of them with certainty, that we shall rest satisfied with annexing their names to the pieces that are respectively ascribed to them. The most noted, however, of these are, Dr.Zachary Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, who furnished Nos. 572 and 623; and the Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, who wrote the Letter on Travelling, No.264].

Eight Volumes (complete set). London, Printed for C.Bathurst, C.Nourse, T.Carnan, F.Newbery, W.Johnstone, P.Valliant, T.Davies, and R.Tonson, 1798. Small Octavo (11 cm wide x 17.8 cm high). Volume I: XVI, [2], 327 pages / Volume II: 338 pages / Volume III: 311 pages / Volume IV: 292 pages / Volume V: 294 pages / Volume VI: 307 pages / Volume VII: 328 pages / Volume VIII: 286 pages. Hardcover / Original, full 18th century leather with gilt lettering and ornament to spine. Endpaper of Volume I missing. The bindings a little rubbed and bumped to upper spine. Rare in this original binding. Very good and especially firm condition of all Volumes.

EUR 980,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Forster, The Arabian Nights, in Five Volumes.

3. [Arabian Nights] Forster, Edward / [Provenance: Daniel Callaghan of Lotabeg].

The Arabian Nights, in Five Volumes. [Including “The History of Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp” / The History of Ali Baba and of the Forty Robbers, killed by one Slave” / etc.] Translated by The Reverend Edward Forster [based on the French version of Antoine Galland]. With [24] Engravings, from Pictures by Robert Smirke.

First Edition [Large Paper Quarto Edition]. Five Volumes (complete set with all engravings). London, Printed for William Miller, 1802. Quarto (21.5 cm x 27.5 cm). Volume I: LXI, (7), 385 pages with 5 copper-engravings including Errata-Leaf and “Directions for placing the Plates” for all four volumes / Volume: 432 pages with 5 copper-engravings / 405 pages with 5 copper-engravings / 461 pages with 5 copper-engravings / 474 pages with 5 copper-engravings. Hardcover / Original, early 19th century full leather with gilt lettering and date on lower spine [″London, 1802”]. Beautiful, richly ornamented master-bindings. All Volumes in strong, protective collector’s Mylar, which invites the reader/collector to use the work without fear of handling. Armorial Bookplates / ExLibris of Daniel Callaghan, Esquire of Lotabeg (MP for Cork City 1830-1849) to all five pastedowns (Motto: “Fidus et Audax”). Marbled endpapers a little dusty but beautiful. Volume 1, 2 and 5 with some weakening to the spine (slightly cracked), but holding and still firm overall. All plates present. As known and always found with this scarce edition, the original, titled tissue-guards all in place, have created stronger signs of foxing to the plates but in sharp contrast the text in all the five Volumes in bright and clean condition with only occasional faint staining. Endpapers with some minor browning. Very good+ condition overall with some rubbing and minor bumping to the Volumes but really only minor signs of external wear. Extremely sought after publication, not to be confused with the later, much more common Octavo Editions !

EUR 1.000,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Letters written by the late Right Honourable Philip Dormer Stanhope

14. Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of.

Letters written by the late Right Honourable Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, to his son, Philip Stanhope, Esq.; Late Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of Dresden: together with other several pieces on various subjects. Published by Mrs. Eugenia Stanhope, from the originals now in her Possession

The Third Edition. In Four Volumes (complete set). London, J. Dodsley in Pall-Mall, 1774. Octavo. Collation: Volume I: Engraved frontispiece of Stanhope, XVI, 352 pages / Volume II: (2), 355 pages / Volume III: (2), 376 pages / Volume IV: (2), 364 pages. (Collation complete). Hardcover / Original 18th century full calf with gilt lettering on original spinelabels. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Smaller dampstain to lower first and last two pages of two volumes only. The bindings a little shaky but holding. Provenance: From the library of Robert Doyne, with his Exlibris – bookplate to the front pastedown of all four volumes. While he died already in 1733 and these books were published in 1774, it is very likely that the bookplates were still applied by his librarian or family / Sir Robert Doyne (1651-1733) was member of the Irish House of Commons for New Ross from 1692 to 1695, and later a distinguished judge who served as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer from 1695 to 1703 and Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas from 1703 to 1714. In the latter year like all the senior judges in Ireland appointed under Queen Anne he was removed by the new administration; while allegations of corruption were made, the removal seems to have been a simple matter of politics. Although the Irish House of Commons passed a resolution that he had acted corruptly no further action seems to have been taken against him and he lived in peaceful retirement for many years. (Wikipedia)

EUR 680,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Luke Hansard, The Imperial Review ; or London and Dublin [Edinburgh] Literary Journal

50. [Hansard, Luke].

The Imperial Review ; or London and Dublin Literary Journal [From 1805 on called “The Imperial Review or London, Edinburgh and Dublin Literary Journal”].

First and only Edition. Five Volumes. London, Printed by Luke Hansard, for T.Cadell and W. Davies, in The Strand, also for J.Archer, J. Cooke (Ormond Quay); and M.N.Mahon (Grafton Street, Dublin); A. Edwards (Cork Printer); J. Barry (Limerick) and W. Magee (Belfast), 1804 – 1805. Octavo. Two Annuals (complete for the Year 1804 and 1805) of this Rare Periodical, bound in five Volumes. Year 1804: Volume the First: (January to April, 1804) XII, 654 pages including Index / Volume the Second: (May to August, 1804) VIII, 639 pages including Index / Volume the Third: (September to December, 1804) VIII, 628 pages including Index // Year 1805: Volume the Fourth [Titlepage missing] (January to June, 1805): VII, 733 pages including Index / Volume the Fifth (July to December, 1805): VII, 706 pages including Index. Original Hardcover with new spinelabels. All Volumes in collector’s Mylar. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Provenance: From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Minor browning only. Titlepage of Volume four missing, otherwise complete and the interior in excellent condition. A very rare find, this is one of the more elusive periodicals of the early 19th century, printed just after the Act of Union in 1800 was established and printed by english printer Luke Hansard for publishers and printers in London, Dublin and Cork.

EUR 1.000,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Augustus von Kotzebue - The Constant Lover; Or, William and Jeanette / With an Account of the Literary Life of the Author

62. Kotzebue, August von / [Plumptre, Anne].

The Constant Lover; Or, William and Jeanette: A Tale. From the German of Augustus von Kotzebue. To which is prefixed “An Account of the Literary Life of the Author” [with the printed dedication by Kotzebue to his friend Charles Georg Graumann] / Also included (separately bound): “Pizarro – The Spaniards in Peru; or, The Death of Rolla. A Tragedy, in Five Acts:. The original of the play, Performing at the Theatre-Royal, Drury Lane, under the title of PIZARRO. Translated from the German by Anne Plumptre – Translator of Kotzebue’s “Virgin of the Sun”, &c.

First Edition. Three Volumes in one Solander Box. Dublin, Printed by William Porter / Printed for J. Moore, 1799. Small Octavo (11 cm x 17 cm). Pagination of the two Volume-Set: “The Constant Lover / Account of the Literary Life of Kotzebue”: Volume I: XIV, 203 pages / Volume II: 216 pages / Pagination for the accompanying Volume: “Pizarro”: 102 pages. Hardcover / Stunning, recent half leather and marbled-paper-covered-boards with gilt lettering and ornament to spine, bound to style of the 18th/19th century. All three Volumes housed in a bespoke built Solander Box (see plenty of images on our website). Excellent condition. From the library of Susannah Townsend-Meade (Ballymartle), with her name to titlepage. The accompanying Volume bears the name of one Mary Johnston. The “Constant Lover”, with the “Account of Kotzebue’s Life” is a very scarce publication !

EUR 1.000,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Provenance: From the personal library of Adrian Liddell Hart / Collection of 28 Volumes of John Lehmann's "New Writing", some bearing the name of Adrian Liddell Hart

65. [Lehmann, John] / [Liddell Hart, Adrian] / [Harold Acton] / [Manuscript Postcards from Lehmann to Liddell Hart].

Provenance: From the personal library of Adrian Liddell Hart / Collection of three personal autograph/manuscript-postcards from John Lehmann to Adrian Liddell Hart, together with 28 Volumes of John Lehmann’s “New Writing”, some bearing the name of Adrian Liddell Hart, including Volume I (includes George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” in second edition). Besides the 28 Volumes of Lehmann’s “New Writing”, the collection also includes: 1. John Lehmann’s personal copy of Sean O’Faolain’s “Vive Moi!” – An Autobiography (First Edition, London, Rupert Hart-Davies, 1965), with John Lehmann’s name on the front free endpaper and some markings in the text. / 2. John Lehmann – Pleasures of New Writing – An Anthology of Poems, Stories and other Prose Pieces from the pages of NEW WRITING. Edited by John Lehmann. (First Edition, London, John Lehmann, 1952). [Even though this Volume is also from Liddell Hart’s library, it bears a different name of a pre-owner on the half-title].

Mixed Editions. 30 Volumes. London, John Lehmann / Allen Lane – Penguin Books / Rupert Hart-Davis, 1940-1965. Octavo. [The Postcards written from Venice, Florence and Santa Barbarabetween the years 1952 and 1977 / Postcard I: From John Lehmann in Venice to Adrian Liddell Hart: “This city does not boast a supply of the “Sunday Dispatch”, and as the writer was gripped and enthralled by the last installment on June 1st, he hopes you will keep copies of the …for him to read on his return in ten Days time – J.” / Postcard II: From John Lehmann in Florence to Adrian Liddell Hart: “Am staying with [Sir] Harold Acton here in his marvellous Villa – calme luxe [″Villa La Pietra”], all night……pity, you aren’t with me. Off to the sea this afternoon – may post this in Porto Ercole. Your old friend is relaxing. Gracefully – Love J.” [Date hard to decipher, possibly in 1962] / 3. Postcard III: From John Lehmann in Santa Barbara in California to Adrian Liddell Hart: “Terribly sorry to hear about the broken leg, may it mend quickly, as surely it must undo the ministrations of Florence …..Nightingale. I expect to be in England all March, but then off again – to Jimmy Carter Country – Love J.” [20.2.77]. Hardcover and Softcover. Of the series of 28 Volumes of the “New Writing ″ Series, only three with stronger signs of wear and in poorer condition. All others in very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Lehmann’s personal copy of Sean O’Faolain’s Autobiography with the original dustjacket in poor condition but the Volume itself very good.

EUR 1.480,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Collection of 18 publications by Charles Morgan, plus one signed and inscribed Biography on Charles Morgan by Henry Charles Duffin

86. Morgan, Charles.

Collection of 20 publications by Charles Morgan, plus one signed and inscribed Biography on Charles Morgan by Henry Charles Duffin. The collection includes: 1. Charles Morgan (Introduction) – “Life’s A Dream” by Pedro Calderon de la Barca / Music by Scarlatti – Great Play Booklet No.4 – (BBC,1928) [Morgan introduced these Plays during his time as Dramatic Critic for “The Times” / 2. Charles Morgan (Introduction) – “There are Crimes and Crimes” by August Strindberg – Great Play Booklet No.9 – (BBC,1929) / 3.Charles Morgan – My Name is Legion (Second Printing, 1932) / 4. Charles Morgan – Sparkenbroke (First Edition, 1936) / 5. Charles Morgan – The Voyage (First Edition, 1940) / 6. Charles Morgan – The Empty Room (First Edition, 1941) / 7. Charles Morgan – The Judge’s Story (First Edition, 1947) / 8. Charles Morgan – The River Line (First Edition, 1949) / 9. Charles Morgan – Liberties of the Mind (First Edition, 1951) / 10. Charles Morgan – A Breeze of Morning (First Edition, 1951) / 11. Charles Morgan – The Burning Glass – A Play – With a Preface on “Power over Nature” (First Edition, 1953) / 12. Charles Morgan – The Flashing Stream – A Play – With an Essay on Singleness of Mind and a Foreword (First Edition, 1953) / 13. Charles Morgan – Challenge to Venus (First Edition, 1957 – Former Library Copy) / 14. Selected Letters of Charles Morgan – Edited and with a Memoir by Eiluned Lewis (First Edition, 1967) / 15. Charles Morgan – Portrait in a Mirror (First Edition, 1929) / 16. Charles Morgan – Reflections in a Mirror – Second Series (First Edition, 1946) / 17. Charles Morgan – The Gunroom (First Edition, 1919) / 18. Charles Morgan – Epitaph on George Moore (First Edition, 1935) / 19. Henry Charles Duffin – The Novels and Plays of Charles Morgan (Signed & Inscribed First Edition, 1959) / 20. Charles Morgan – The House of MacMillan (1843-1943) – (First Edition, 1943).

London / New York, MacmIllan / Bowes & Bowes, 1919-1967. Octavo. More than 2000 pages. Illustrated occasionally with a photograph of Morgan. Original Hardcover – Volumes, often with the rare illustrated dustjackets. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. The price includes an upgrade to worldwide free shipping of the collection per DHL Express Courier.

EUR 480,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

[John Morrison], Poems on Several Occasions by the late Matthew Prior.

88. [Morrison, John / Midleton / Castlemartyr] / [Prior, Matthew].

Poems on Several Occasions by the late Matthew Prior [Including “Memoirs of the Life of Mr.Prior” / Including: “Solomon on the Vanity of the World” / “An Ode Humbly Inscrib’d to the Queen, on the Glorious Success of her Majesty’s Arms, MDCCVI. Written in Imitation of Spenser’s Style” / “Alma, or the Progress of the Mind – In three Cantos” / “Downhall – A Ballad – To the Tune of King John and the Abbott of Canterbury” ].

First and Forurth Edition. Two Volumes (complete set). London, J.R.Tonson and S.Draper and H.Linto / C.Hitch at the Red Lyon and J. Hodges at the Looking-Glass, 1754. Small-Octavo (10,5 cm x 16,5 cm). Volume I [First Edition, printed by Tonson]: [11], 402, [3] pages with two title-pages/ Volume II: [Fourth Edition, printed by C. Hitch and J.Hodges], Frontispiece, LXXII, 356 pages with two full-page copper-engravings by van Gucht (plus engraved Frontispiece). Original Hardcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. With the name “John Morrison” on the titlepage of both Volumes [possibly the 18th century – Architect John Morrison from Midleton, with a connection to Castlemartyr]. These books came subsequently from, the Library of Daniel Conner, Connerville / Bandon / Manch House in which also a set of Buffon, from the library of Richard Boyle Bernard, Dean of Leighlin and MP for Bandon Bridge was included.

EUR 480,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Ann Radcliffe - The Mysteries of Udolpho - A Romance; interspersed with some pieces of Poetry.

94. Radcliffe, Ann.

The Mysteries of Udolpho – A Romance; interspersed with some pieces of Poetry.

First Dublin Edition / First Irish Edition. 3 Volumes [complete set]. Dublin, , by Hillary and Barlow, for Messrs. P. Wogan, W. Jones, and H. Colbert, 1794. Small Octavo (17.5 cm x 11 cm). Collation complete: Volume I: 310 pages / Volume II: 321 pages / Volume III: 357 pages. [Few pages with misprinted numerals, as often the case, but all pages in order and complete]. Original, unaltered, 18th-century full leather with gilt lettering on original spinelabels. Very rare, complete set of the first Dublin Edition. Very good- condition with stronger signs of external wear but all three Volumes in firm, original condition. Lesions to the leather-covered-boards and some stronger rubbing to extremeties. Interior with only very few problems. All three Volumes used to have two endpapers before and after the text and some of these endpapers are torn or missing. Textblock in general very good with some very minor and only occasional staining only. In Volume I, tear to corner of page 101/102 and 135/136. Faded stain to only the outer margins of pages 239 to 310 (text never affected). Volume II with small tear to pages 21/22 / Volume III with lesion to page 281/282 and tear to corner 305. These all sound worse than they are and the set is still in very good- condition. From the library of the Meade family in Ballymartle, the titlepage of each Volume bears the name of Helena Meade. An extremely rare and highly collectable set of one of the rarest titles in english literature.

EUR 1.900,-- 

Show details   Add to cart

Page: 1 2
: