(Washington, George)

Jonathan Swift. The Beauties of Swift: or, the Favorite Offspring of Wit & Genius. London: Printed for G. Kearsley, 1782



In 6s (6 3/4 x 4 in.; 174 x 102 mm). Engraved title-page with roundel portrait of Swift; some scattered staining. Contemporary sheep, plain endpapers, early yellow edges; rebacked, preserving original maroon morocco label. Half red morocco slipcase, chemise.

George Washington (signature and bookplate) — Bushrod Washington (bequest) — John A. Washington (bequest) — John A. Washington Jr. (bequest) — Lawrence Washington (bequest; his Washingtoniana sale, M. Thomas & Sons, Philadelphia, 28 November 1876, lot ??) — John Remigius Baker (Henkels, Philadelphia, 11 February 1891, lot ??) — William Augustus White — A. S. W. Rosenbach (private purchase from White; presumably included among the groups of Washington's books offered in his catalogues 7, 24, or 49)

Ford, Inventory of the Contents of Mount Vernon, p. 28; Lane, Inventory of Washington's Library, p. 488

Association copy, from the library of George Washington, signed by him ("Go: Washington") on the title-page and with his engraved armorial bookplate. This is one of the few volumes of contemporary literature in Washington's library. The Mount Vernon library also included a copy of Gulliver's Travels, as well as a single volume described in the inventory of his estate as "Swift's Works." A companion to the present book, Beauties of Sterne, was in Washington's library as well; for some reason it was valued by the estate appraisal at 75 cents while Beauties of Swift was accounted for at just 50 cents. A clutch of Washington's books still in private collections appear at auction at regular generational intervals, but evidently this is the first time Beauties of Swift has been offered in the rooms since 1891.