William COWPER

COWPER William
illustration by LABOUREUR Jean-émile
The Diverting History of John Gilpin
Ronald Davis, Paris 1931, 13,5 x 20 cm, brown half morocco
Illustrated edition of 35 original color lithographs by Jean-Emile Laboureur, one of 55 numbered copies on China paper, the only print after the 3 on old Japan paper.
Brown half morocco binding, spine in five compartments, gilt date at base, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed by Alix.
Very fine copy, perfectly presented.
$ 3 750

New and first illustrated edition with 10 charming figures by Stothard and engraved by Neagle, Heath, Angus, on heavy paper. A first collected edition, but unillustrated, had appeared in 1782 for the first volume and 1785 for the second.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated with 4 lyre stamps within a crown; fillets, roll tools. Red morocco title and volume labels. Dark area on the upper board of the first volume. Some foxing in the margins of the engravings, the tissue guards not having been removed. Handsome copy.
William Cowper prefigures English Romantic poetry, and Coleridge would call him "The best modern poet"; he indeed gave a new direction to English poetry by turning toward the depiction of nature, and his work was very well received by a large audience.
At this end of the 18th century, one will note that English taste and manner in engraving are quite different from that of France, England tending very clearly in these engravings toward Romanticism, while France was in the midst of the neo-classical period.

New edition, illustrated with a frontispiece portrait and 20 steel engravings by G. Standfast on heavy paper (tissue guards present).
Contemporary English binding in full red shagreen. Raised spine richly decorated. Boards very ornate with different frames, large corner pieces... Floral roulette on leading edges and interior floral frieze. Edges gilt. Minor rubbing traces to joints at headcaps. Very handsome copy, completely free of foxing, on tinted paper.

First edition.
Cover and spine soiled, foxing.
Rare.