[The Works].

sumptuous full red morocco

An exceptional set, uniformly bound in striking eighteenth-century red morocco of Alexander Pope's definitive translation of Homer's epic poems the Iliad and Odyssey, together with his collected poems and letters.

Works: 'Besides new pieces, to be listed infra, the volume contains congratulatory poems by Sheffield Duke of Buckingham, Lady Winchelsea, Wycherley, Knapp, Fenton, Parnell, and S. Harcourt; and reprints of the Pastorals, Messiah, Windsor-Forest, Essay on Criticism, Rape of the Lock, Temple of Fame, January and May, Wife of Bath, Sapho of Phaon, Vertumnus and Pomona, Statius, Thirteenth Book of the Odyssey, Gardens of Alcinous, Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, To MR. Jervas, To a young Lady with Voiture, On Silence, and Prologue to Cato' (Griffith)

15 vols; 4to (28.5 x 23 cm); uniformly bound in eighteenth-century red morocco, the covers with double gilt fillet border, gilt spines in 7 compartments, the 2nd compartments with contrasting green morocco lettering-pieces, the 3rd lettered direct to the binding, the other compartments with central roundels and floral sprays, all edges marbled and gilt, remains of the original silk ribbons, spines slightly faded, with occasional minor loss to spine ends, covers a little rubbed with the order abrasion, near fine. Comprising:
'The Iliad'; first 4to edition; 6 vols; dated 1715, 1716, 1717, 1718, 1720; printed on thick paper, engraved frontispiece to vol. I, folding double-page map, engraved folding view bound as frontispiece to vol. II, further engraved vignettes, initials, head and tailpieces, half-title to vol. I, titles printed in red and black, occasional minor spotting and offsetting; [56], 63, [3], 254, [3], 322-356, 295-317, [1]; [4], 321-445, [4], 657, [1]; [7], 662-948; [7], 958-1295, [1]; [7], 1304-1630; [7], 1634-1882, [34]pp. ESTC T14925; Bowyer Ledgers 251; Rothschild 1584; Griffith 40.
'The Odyssey': first 4to edition, 5 vols; dated 1725 and 1726, engraved frontispiece bust of Homer to vol. I, engraved vignette title printed in red and black, further engraved vignettes, initials, head and tailpieces, repaired tear to vol. V 2R4 obscuring pagination to recto, occasional spotting; [12], xxiv, 279, [1]; [4], 272, 293-335, [1]; [4], 170, [3], 176-194, 193-331, 336-363, [1]; [4], 285, [3], 291-298, 297-319, [1]; [4], 317, [11]pp. ESTC T14927; Griffith 151.
'The Works': 4 vols, comprising:
'Poetry'; first 4to editions, later issues; 2 vols; dated 1717 and 1735; vol. I printed on thick paper, engraved folding portrait frontispiece to vol. I, small closed tear to gutter margin, titles printed in red and black, offsetting to upper gutter margin quarter, engraved vignettes, occasional spotting; [32], 435, [1]; [8], 76, [7], 48-71, [2], 8-16, 15-27, [2], 40-78, [2], 87, [1], 14, 19, [1], 219, [1]pp. ESTC T5386 & T5392; Bowyer Ledgers 385; Griffith 84a & 372.
'Prose' (i.e. Letters): 2 vols; dated 1737 and 1741; titles printed in red and black, engraved vignettes, vol. I with uncorrected date '1724' in first letter, occasional spotting; [37], 10-222, 215-332; vi, [10], 115, [1], 89-182, [3], 326-339, [1], 75, [8], 208-270, [1], 182-188, [1], 278-304, [3], 266-179 [i.e. 279], [1]pp. ESTC T5513 & T5468; Griffith 454 & 531, Rothschild 1634.