CLARE, JOHN | The Village Minstrel and Other Poems. London: Taylor and Hessey, 1821

The Property of a Gentleman

CLARE, JOHN

The Village Minstrel and Other Poems. London: Taylor and Hessey, 1821

2 volumes, 12mo (4 1/8 x 7 1/8 in.; 105 x 180 mm). Half-titles, frontispiece portrait to Vol. I, publisher's advertisements and the end of each volume; very minor foxing primarily to preliminary leaves, engraved frontispiece view of “Clare’s Cottage Helpstone” sometimes found in Vol. II not present here (but not noted by Tinker). Original blue paper-covered boards, cream-colored paper labels to spines; extremities a bit rubbed, corners just bumped, spines lightly sunned with one or two chips to labels. In custom quarter gold cloth over marbled board clamshell cases.

First edition

An excellent set of Clare's second collection of poetry. According to Sir. Jonathan Bate, Clare was "the greatest labouring-class poet that England has ever produced." Bate goes on to note: "No one has ever written more powerfully of nature, of a rural childhood, and of the alienated and unstable self."

REFERENCES

Tinker 637

PROVENANCE

Oliver Brett, Viscount Esher (bookplate to front pastedowns) — Simon Nowell-Smith and Judith Adams Nowell-Smith (book labels to front paste downs)