Farce

1820 — Two volumes. pp. 458; 446 + Engraved portrait frontis, and an engraved title page. 16 mo. 128 mm. All edges gold gilt. The whole of volume two is a type facsimile of the Latin and English text of the first edition (circa. 1638). Full leather bindings; spines highly decorated; front board of volume one detached. Of this edition only 125 copies were printed. Subscribers to this very limited edition include the great book collectors Richard Heber and Thomas Frognall Dibdin. Manuscript note in volume one: "Bought at Poynder Sale. June 1855. Sotheby. Lot 67. 1L. This is probably John Poynder (1779-1849) - but his very valuable library was apparently sold by Sotheby in 1850. 'Barnabae Itinerarium, or Barnabee's Journal' is the most famous of poet Richard Brathwaite's (1588?-1673). It appeared in 1638 under the pseudonym 'Corymbaeus.' It is a sparkling record of English travel, in Latin and English verse. It was neglected in its own age, but being reprinted under the title of 'Drunken Barnaby's Four Journeys,' achieved a considerable success during the eighteenth century, and is still in some vogue. The authorship was not ascertained until the publication of the seventh edition by Joseph Haslewood in 1818. Previously supposed authors were known as: Corymbaeus; Philogenes Pandonius; Musaeus Palatinus; Clitus-Alexandrinus. Southey pronounced the original the best piece of rhymed Latin in modern literature. There are great details of 17th century English social life, and drinking customs. Wither to Prior 85; Lowndes I 260. **PRICE JUST REDUCED! SW3