Chaucer, The works, London, 1721, contemporary calf

Geoffrey Chaucer

The works... compared with the former editions, and many valuable MSS. Out of which, three tales are added which were never before printed, by John Urry. London: [William Bowyer for] Bernard Lintot, 1721

folio (383 x 225mm.), engraved frontispiece portrait of Urry, engraved illustration of Chaucer's tomb on title-page, engraved portrait of Chaucer, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, engraved headpieces and illustrations, contemporary speckled calf, damp-stained at foot, rebacked with new endpapers

A comprehensive scholarly edition of Chaucer, mostly by John Urry, and continued after his death in 1714 by Timothy Thomas and other scholars. However its scholarly aims were not successful and have certainly not stood up to either contemporary or modern criticism; this is generally considered to be a poor edition with regard to normalising spelling and correcting "mistakes" of metre, though it may be that Urry intended to make Chaucer more accessible to his readers.

LITERATURE:

Bowyer Ledgers 779; ESTC T106027

PROVENANCE:

John William Waterer, bookplate