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WOLCOT, John : THE WORKS OF PETER PINDAR, ESQ

[WOLCOT, John]. THE WORKS OF PETER PINDAR, ESQ. London: Printed for John Walker, 1794[-1796]. Four octavo volumes, of an eventual five published. Vol. 1 has an engraved portrait of Wolcot, identified only by his pseudonym Peter Pindar, and each volume has an engraved title-page. This is a nicely printed edition on quality paper, with untrimmed edges, and internally clean, despite some faint pencil notes. Uniformly bound in worn publisher's bindings of grey paper boards with white paper spines, each with a paper spine label. The bindings are sunned at spines, with chipping at heel and/or crown, and show moderate soiling all over. The upper boards of Vols. 1 and 3 are detached. The first signature of Vol. 1 is detached as well and the spine is heavily chipped. Fine texts which need binding; they are offered as is. John Wolcot (1738-1819) was a popular English poet and satirist of contemporary artists and writers, and of royalty in particular. (He is reported to have said that the king had been a good subject to him, and he a bad one to the king.) At the time of publication, this set marked the most complete collection of the poet's work. In 1793 Wolcot sold the copyright of his existing works to John Walker, the publisher, for an annuity; at that same time it was stipulated that Walker should have the right of refusal for all of Wolcot's future work. The expanding nature of the edition is evident on the title-pages of the volumes; Vols. 1-3 say "in three volumes," and Vol. 4 says "in four volumes." The fifth, and final, volume was eventually published by Walker in 1801. (D.N.B.), Good

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