Wellesley, Richard Wellesley, Marquess of

8vo (214 x 130mm.), second edition (with a continuous register to p.127 and 13pp. of additonal poems at end), poems in Latin, Greek and English, one ("Soda") dated 1842, original brown cloth with the Order of the Garter and arms of Wellesley in gilt on covers, gilt edges, spine chipped at foot, upper hinge cracking, corners bumped, some spotting

H. Brougham, ownership inscription on endpaper; William O'Brien, bequest booklabel dated 1899; library stamps

Allibone p.2638; Beddie 2477; cf. Martin p.489 (1840 edition); not in Forbes

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

RARE. Including Wellesley's "In obitum viri eximii et celeberrimi navigatoris Jacobi Cook", written in memory of Captain Cook and recited at Oxford in July 1780, before the full circumstances of his death were widely known. The poem won Wellesley the chancellor's prize for Latin verse, although he did not remain at Oxford long enough to take a degree.

Wellesley, brother of the Duke of Wellington, privately published this collection of his poetry in 1840 "for the benefit of a few friends only" (Allibone). It was dedicated to Henry Peter Brougham, first Baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868). The name "H. Brougham" inscribed on the endpaper suggests this could be the dedication copy of the second edition, which appeared in 1842 in a number of states.

The arms on the binding feature a small peacock like creature described as an "uma" in the Addenda to the text. According to this account, "a bird called by the natives the Ûma... built its nest in an avenue of banyan or pipal trees in the garden of Mr. Petrie, where Lord Wellesley resided while at Madras...The natives superstitiously ascribed much of the success of the war to the influence of the Ûma and universally believed its presence was an augury of Victory". In 1840, Wellesley was granted the uma as an additional crest accompanied by a line taken from Vergil's Aeneid: "Super Indos protulit Imperium" (He extended the empire beyond India).