Notes on an Unique Copy of Dr Isaac Watts's Divine Songs, Lately in the Possession of James Ward, Nottingham Classic Reprint

Excerpt from Notes on an Unique Copy of Dr. Isaac Watts's "Divine Songs," Lately in the Possession of James Ward, Nottingham

Songs,' 1707, whose several shaved headlines will militate against last season's price of 140. At least two other items belonging to the 18th century call for mention. In the spring of 1897 Messrs. Pickering bought for about two guineas a folio volume of Tracts, containing among other items, An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard,' without place, printer's name, or date, on the subject of which Mr. Edmund Gosse contributed a long letter to the Athenaeum. Mr. Gosse contends that-we have here an extremely early piracy of the celebrated poem by Gray, probably struck off within a few days of the publication of the first 4to. We understand, however, that when-the tract was submitted to the notice of the late Colonel Grant and of Mr. F. Jenkinson, the University librarian at Cambridge, they formed a different Opinion. As is well known, Walpole handed round to friends several ms. Copies of the 'elegy' prior to publication, and it may be, that in this folio we have the poem set up provisionally by him when the manuscripts ran short. We believe that the watermarks of the paper are of a earlier date than the first edition of the Elegy besides, if this be a piracy, where are the other copies? Piracy only pays when numbers of examples are struck off, and this is the only one known to exist. If, indeed, it be the first appearance of the Elegy' in print, then it has great attraction. Of somewhat kindred interest is what is claimed to be a unique uncut quarto, on 16pp., entitled A Prospect of Society.' It consists of 310 lines, which form, so to say, the rough material out of which Goldsmith shaped The Traveller.' Apart altogether from questions of bibliography, we have here an excellent opportunity to study Goldsmith's method of workmanship. - The Not tingham Daily Guardian, February 20th, 1902.

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