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Henry Vaughan. Olor iscanus. A Collection of some select Poems, and Translations. London: Printed by T. W. for H...
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Description
The Herschel V. Jones copy
Henry Vaughan. Olor iscanus. A Collection
of some select Poems, and Translations. London: Printed by T.
W. for Humphrey Mosely, 1651.8vo. With leaf of Latin verse ("Ad posteros"), engraved frontispiece by Robert Vaughan, initial leaf Ad posteros (A1v), four section titles dated 1651, and errata leaf (L8) at end.19th-century straight-grained black morocco gilt, edges gilt, by H. Wallis.
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, with the uncancelled title dated 1651, with the dated section-titles for "Of the Benefit Wee may get by our Enemies" (F1r), "Of the Diseases of the Mind and the Body" (H1r), "Of the Diseases of the Mind and the Body, and which of them is most Pernicious" (H6r), and "The Praise and Happinesse of the Countrie-Life" (I7r). "The catalogue of books may or may not be in a copy, and its absence must not be considered an imperfection" (Grolier).
Vaughan's work remained virtually unknown until the 18th century when a copy of his poems came into the hands of Wordsworth. Olor Iscanus derived its title from the principal poem, a eulogy on the River Usk, which was accompanied by prose translations of Plutarch, Maximus Tyrius, and Guevara. It was probably ready for the press in December 1647, as the dedication to Lord Digby bears that date. Thomas Vaughan, the poet's twin, intimates in his address to the reader that the work may have been destroyed had it not been for his intervention. "There is nothing objectionable in the book, and it can only be concluded that a revolution had in the meantime occurred in the poet's mind, which had rendered his secular poetry distasteful to him" (DNB). As with all of Vaughan's work, Olor Iscanus is scarce, the only three complete copies sold at auction for more than forty years are the Berland, Martin-Brett-Smith, and Pirie copies.
Condition: Minor wear to spine ends with a few tiny nicks. Bound without the advertisement leaves at tend; short marginal tear on additional title just touching platemark; some toning throughout; some margins trimmed close at bottom (with partial loss of catchword on preliminary leaf A7).
References: Allison 5; Grolier, Wither to Prior 899; Wing V123.
Provenance: Herschel V. Jones (bookplate); purchased from W. Thomas Taylor Bookseller, Austin, TX, 1978. From the William A. Strutz Library.
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Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
27th
Thursday
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