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Southey (Robert).- Bowdler (Thomas)

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first edition, Robert Southey's copy with his ink signature at tail of title, also A.E. Newton's copy with an autograph note on front free endpaper and bookplate on front pastedown, pencil notes: "Bought at Southey's Sale - It contains his pencil marks - D" & "Bought at Mr Dyke's Sale 1860 Wm Watkins Old", 2 folding engraved maps, I4 tear across page, extensively foxed, hinges weak, bound in a fine contemporary "Cottonian" coloured floral cotton binding for Robert Southey, manuscript paper label on spine, slightly browned, upper joint split, edges uncut, [Nixon 86], 8vo, Printed for the Benefit of a Charitable Trust at Bath, 1788.

***Inscribed: "Robert Southey London 1830." Note by A.E. Newton: "This book was bound in muslin by R.S. who had a great many of his works, he had a large library, so bound. Given to me by Cecil Harmsworth Esq., M.P. Christmas 1921 A. Edward Newton. In whose library will it next find a resting place? Binding. "Another fancy of his [Robert Southey] was to have all those books of lesser value, which had become ragged and dirty, covered, or rather bound, in coloured cotton prints, for the sake of making them clean and respectable in their appearance, it being impossible to afford the cost of having so many put into better bindings. Of this task his daughters, aided by any female friends who might be staying with them, were the performers; and not fewer from 1200 to 1400 volumes were so bound by them at different times, filling completely one room, which he designated as the Cottonian library." - Charles Southey, editor. The Life and Correspondence of the late Robert Southey, 1850 (vol. vi. p. 17)..

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