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Details
WILSON, Thomas (ca 1525-1581). The Arte of Rhetorique. London: Richard Grafton, 1553.
4o (196 x 125 mm). Collation: π2 A4 a-z4 Aa-Hh4. Woodcut architectural title border, woodcut initials. (Some fore-margins unevenly cropped, upper fore-corners on A2-3 renewed with some loss of text, Cc1-2 slightly shorter and possibly supplied, a few runnning titles shaved.) Vellum with central gilt monogram of W.H. Miller, spine titled in gilt, edges gilt, by Riviere; quarter calf box. Provenance: William Parker, the gift of Israel Pownoll (inscription on title) -- Elizabeth Manning (signature on title) -- Daniel Nielson (inscription on title verso) -- critical note in a contemporary hand on Gg3r -- Anthony Stringer (signature on verso of final leaf) -- Richard Farmer (1735-1797, his bibliographical notes on two flyleaves, sold at King's 7 May 1798, 26th Day, lot 6174, to) -- Richard Heber (sold at Wheatley's 5th February 1835, lot 4470, to Thorpe) -- Britwell Court Library (monogram and shelf mark 73. E. 1., Sotheby's 4 April 1924, lot 826, to go to Rosenbach) -- purchased from John F. Fleming, New York, 21 October 1970.
THE RICHARD FARMER-HEBER-BRITWELL COURT COPY OF THE VERY RARE FIRST EDITION. Sir Thomas Wilson took part in the revival of Greek at Cambridge in his early years, and maintained his literary interests throughout his distinguished career as an ambassador and Secretary of State. His Arte of Rhetorique is one of the earliest and most influential of Tudor texts on language. While drawing heavily on the precepts of Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian, he had a patriotic belief in the purity of English that might have appealed to Shakespeare, denouncing the pedantry and affectation of "strange inkhorn terms" and "Italianated" idioms. The work also includes a translation of Erasmus on marriage. EXTREMELY RARE: ACCORDING TO ABPC THE LAST COPY TO APPEAR AT AUCTION WAS THE HOWARD COPY, SOLD SOTHEBY'S LONDON, 1 MARCH 1976, WITH THE FINAL LEAF IN FACSIMILE. BARTLETT 198; STC 25799.
4o (196 x 125 mm). Collation: π2 A4 a-z4 Aa-Hh4. Woodcut architectural title border, woodcut initials. (Some fore-margins unevenly cropped, upper fore-corners on A2-3 renewed with some loss of text, Cc1-2 slightly shorter and possibly supplied, a few runnning titles shaved.) Vellum with central gilt monogram of W.H. Miller, spine titled in gilt, edges gilt, by Riviere; quarter calf box. Provenance: William Parker, the gift of Israel Pownoll (inscription on title) -- Elizabeth Manning (signature on title) -- Daniel Nielson (inscription on title verso) -- critical note in a contemporary hand on Gg3r -- Anthony Stringer (signature on verso of final leaf) -- Richard Farmer (1735-1797, his bibliographical notes on two flyleaves, sold at King's 7 May 1798, 26th Day, lot 6174, to) -- Richard Heber (sold at Wheatley's 5th February 1835, lot 4470, to Thorpe) -- Britwell Court Library (monogram and shelf mark 73. E. 1., Sotheby's 4 April 1924, lot 826, to go to Rosenbach) -- purchased from John F. Fleming, New York, 21 October 1970.
THE RICHARD FARMER-HEBER-BRITWELL COURT COPY OF THE VERY RARE FIRST EDITION. Sir Thomas Wilson took part in the revival of Greek at Cambridge in his early years, and maintained his literary interests throughout his distinguished career as an ambassador and Secretary of State. His Arte of Rhetorique is one of the earliest and most influential of Tudor texts on language. While drawing heavily on the precepts of Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian, he had a patriotic belief in the purity of English that might have appealed to Shakespeare, denouncing the pedantry and affectation of "strange inkhorn terms" and "Italianated" idioms. The work also includes a translation of Erasmus on marriage. EXTREMELY RARE: ACCORDING TO ABPC THE LAST COPY TO APPEAR AT AUCTION WAS THE HOWARD COPY, SOLD SOTHEBY'S LONDON, 1 MARCH 1976, WITH THE FINAL LEAF IN FACSIMILE. BARTLETT 198; STC 25799.