![[GRAY, Thomas (1716-1771)]. An Elegy wrote in a Country Church Yard. London: for R. Dodsley, and sold by M. Cooper, 1751.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2001/NYR/2001_NYR_09878_0055_000(033318).jpg?w=1)
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[GRAY, Thomas (1716-1771)]. An Elegy wrote in a Country Church Yard. London: for R. Dodsley, and sold by M. Cooper, 1751.
4o (258 x 199 mm). Title between woodcut rules with emblems of death, the upper rule repeated at head of poem. (The "F" of 'Finis' is, as usual, punched through but present.) Bound fourth with 6 other verse pamphlets in contemporary sheep-backed, comb-marbled boards (joints cracked but firm, lower edges a little unevenly cut, lacking lettering-piece which read: "Miscell. Poetry 1751"); brown morocco slipcase by Riviere.
Provenance: list of contents in an early hand on front flyleaf -- John Gribbel, St. Austell Hall (bookplate) -- Jerome Kern (morocco label), sold in Part I of his sale, Anderson Galleries, New York, 7-10 January 1929, lot 601, for $12,000, described in the catalogue as "A matchless copy" -- Richard Gimbel (morocco label) -- sold Parke-Bernet, New York, 9 November 1945, lot 256, for $4,500 -- David and Lulu Borowitz, sold in Part I of their sale, Sotheby-Parke-Bernet, New York, 15 November 1977, lot 115, for $22,000 -- Dr. Gerald E. Slater, sold Christie's New York, 12 February 1982, lot 86, for $12,000 -- purchased from John F. Fleming, New York, 29 October 1982. Exhibited: Grolier Club, 'This powerfull rime,' 1975, no. 37.
FIRST EDITION, FINE TALL COPY OF GRAY'S MASTERPIECE IN A 1751 MISCELLANY, with the word "Yard" in title poorly impressed, "r" in the catchword "for" on B1 in perfect alignment, and line 4 of page 10 reading "Some hidden Spirit shall enquire thy fate" instead of "kindred Spirit" as in later editions. Begun in 1742, Gray's great meditative poem had circulated freely in manuscript after being finished in 1750. However, the threat of piracy led to it being rushed into print in no more than six days. It was published at sixpence on 15 February 1751, one day before its appearance in The Magazine of Magazines. In writing to thank Horace Walpole for handling matters with Dodsley, Gray gave literal application to the bookseller's cherished role as midwife of the muses. "Nurse Dodsley has given it a pinch or two in the cradle, that (I doubt) it will bear the marks of as long as it lives. But no matter .... " the poet commented, and it did not matter since demand for the work was overwhelming. There were five authorised editions in the same year. There is now no elegy that is more remembered, and no eighteenth century poem that has received more echoes in subsequent literature. RARE IN CONTEMPORARY BINDING. Ashley II, p. 159; Grolier English 49; Hayward 173; Northup 492; Rothschild 1056; Stokes p. 27; Tinker 1165.
The 6 other verse pamphlets in this miscellany are bound in the following order: [Robert LLOYD (1733-1764)]. The Progress of Envy: A poem in imitation of Spenser. Occasion'd by Lauder's attack on the character of Milton. London: J. Newbery, 1751. 4o. xii + 16 pages. FIRST EDITION. RARE, on-line ESTC records only one copy at the Houghton Library -- Colley CIBBER (1671-1757). A Rhapsody upon the Marvellous: arising from the first odes of Horace and Pindar. London: W. Lewis, 1751. 4o. 28 pages. (B2 repaired at upper margin, upper margin of C2 with large piece torn away.) FIRST EDITION -- William WHITEHEAD (1715-1785, poet laureate). An Hymn to the Nymph of Bristol Spring. London: for R. Dodsley, and sold by M. Cooper, 1751. 4o. 37 + [1] + 2 advertisement pages. Half-title. Engraved title vignette, head- and tail-piece by Boitard. FIRST EDITION -- Britannia in Tears: An elegiac pastoral on the Death of Frederic Prince of Wales. London: printed in the year 1751. 4o (249 x 198 mm). 22 pages + blank leaf. Woodcut head-piece and opening initial. FIRST EDITION. SCARCE -- [Soame JENYNS (1704-1787)]. The Modern Fine Lady. London: for R. Dodsley, and sold by M. Cooper, 1751. 2o. 8 pages. (Slightly cropped, affecting numerals and signatures, old fold marks.) FIRST LONDON EDITION -- [John ARMSTRONG]. Of Benevolence: An Epistle to Eumenes. London: A. Millar, 1751. 4o in half sheets. [4] + 11 + [1] pages. Half-title. Woodcut title vignette, head-piece and opening initial. FIRST EDITION. All 6 pamphlets published in the same year as the Elegy, and all but the last with Dodsley's imprint. AN EXTREMELY FINE SAMMELBAND.
4o (258 x 199 mm). Title between woodcut rules with emblems of death, the upper rule repeated at head of poem. (The "F" of 'Finis' is, as usual, punched through but present.) Bound fourth with 6 other verse pamphlets in contemporary sheep-backed, comb-marbled boards (joints cracked but firm, lower edges a little unevenly cut, lacking lettering-piece which read: "Miscell. Poetry 1751"); brown morocco slipcase by Riviere.
Provenance: list of contents in an early hand on front flyleaf -- John Gribbel, St. Austell Hall (bookplate) -- Jerome Kern (morocco label), sold in Part I of his sale, Anderson Galleries, New York, 7-10 January 1929, lot 601, for $12,000, described in the catalogue as "A matchless copy" -- Richard Gimbel (morocco label) -- sold Parke-Bernet, New York, 9 November 1945, lot 256, for $4,500 -- David and Lulu Borowitz, sold in Part I of their sale, Sotheby-Parke-Bernet, New York, 15 November 1977, lot 115, for $22,000 -- Dr. Gerald E. Slater, sold Christie's New York, 12 February 1982, lot 86, for $12,000 -- purchased from John F. Fleming, New York, 29 October 1982. Exhibited: Grolier Club, 'This powerfull rime,' 1975, no. 37.
FIRST EDITION, FINE TALL COPY OF GRAY'S MASTERPIECE IN A 1751 MISCELLANY, with the word "Yard" in title poorly impressed, "r" in the catchword "for" on B1 in perfect alignment, and line 4 of page 10 reading "Some hidden Spirit shall enquire thy fate" instead of "kindred Spirit" as in later editions. Begun in 1742, Gray's great meditative poem had circulated freely in manuscript after being finished in 1750. However, the threat of piracy led to it being rushed into print in no more than six days. It was published at sixpence on 15 February 1751, one day before its appearance in The Magazine of Magazines. In writing to thank Horace Walpole for handling matters with Dodsley, Gray gave literal application to the bookseller's cherished role as midwife of the muses. "Nurse Dodsley has given it a pinch or two in the cradle, that (I doubt) it will bear the marks of as long as it lives. But no matter .... " the poet commented, and it did not matter since demand for the work was overwhelming. There were five authorised editions in the same year. There is now no elegy that is more remembered, and no eighteenth century poem that has received more echoes in subsequent literature. RARE IN CONTEMPORARY BINDING. Ashley II, p. 159; Grolier English 49; Hayward 173; Northup 492; Rothschild 1056; Stokes p. 27; Tinker 1165.
The 6 other verse pamphlets in this miscellany are bound in the following order: [Robert LLOYD (1733-1764)]. The Progress of Envy: A poem in imitation of Spenser. Occasion'd by Lauder's attack on the character of Milton. London: J. Newbery, 1751. 4o. xii + 16 pages. FIRST EDITION. RARE, on-line ESTC records only one copy at the Houghton Library -- Colley CIBBER (1671-1757). A Rhapsody upon the Marvellous: arising from the first odes of Horace and Pindar. London: W. Lewis, 1751. 4o. 28 pages. (B2 repaired at upper margin, upper margin of C2 with large piece torn away.) FIRST EDITION -- William WHITEHEAD (1715-1785, poet laureate). An Hymn to the Nymph of Bristol Spring. London: for R. Dodsley, and sold by M. Cooper, 1751. 4o. 37 + [1] + 2 advertisement pages. Half-title. Engraved title vignette, head- and tail-piece by Boitard. FIRST EDITION -- Britannia in Tears: An elegiac pastoral on the Death of Frederic Prince of Wales. London: printed in the year 1751. 4o (249 x 198 mm). 22 pages + blank leaf. Woodcut head-piece and opening initial. FIRST EDITION. SCARCE -- [Soame JENYNS (1704-1787)]. The Modern Fine Lady. London: for R. Dodsley, and sold by M. Cooper, 1751. 2o. 8 pages. (Slightly cropped, affecting numerals and signatures, old fold marks.) FIRST LONDON EDITION -- [John ARMSTRONG]. Of Benevolence: An Epistle to Eumenes. London: A. Millar, 1751. 4o in half sheets. [4] + 11 + [1] pages. Half-title. Woodcut title vignette, head-piece and opening initial. FIRST EDITION. All 6 pamphlets published in the same year as the Elegy, and all but the last with Dodsley's imprint. AN EXTREMELY FINE SAMMELBAND.