Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$575.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A fine and scarce item of English history and culture, a most unusual item indeed, a variant edition, the true First Edition having been published in 1712 (Allibone, 1965, p. 656), rebound in marbled paper over boards, polished red calf leather over tips and spine, fine gilt-tooled title to spine, moderate rubbing to, scuffing of edges, spine head and foot. Measures 8" tall and 5 1/4" wide. Underneath author's name on title page is "quo te moeri pedes? An, quo via ducit, in Urbem?" (where are you going to mourn? Or, where does the road lead, into the city?). Beautiful black-and-white engraved heads and tails. Fine engraved title page vignette, being of the "Cross-Keys between the Temple Gates in Fleetstreet." Withdrawn from the Harvard College Library, then called the Harvard University Library, having first been a gift there in 1902 from Edgar H. Wells (Class of 1897), with an ink-stamp here and an embossed stamp there. Some but not a lot of foxing, minor to moderate toning to fine paper, else quite readable; endpaper detached but present up front, minor loss of rear pastedown. The epic poem Trivia (1716) is by "Mr. Gay," a.k.a. John Gay (1682-1732). The title takes the Latin word for "crossroads" and is a paean to "the Goddess of Crossroads," Diana, invoked in the opening stanza. Approximately 1000 lines, comprised of three books, are devoted to the perils of walking in London in the 1710s, perils social, physical, linguistic and climatological. It spans 24 hours, a full day and night. Dedication up front to "Mr. Swift" (Jonathan Swift), a falsely modest caveat preceding it, and then offers advice in heroic couplets on how to dress properly, what kinds of footwear are best, how to avoid having urine and feces dumped on one, and then how to look out for and avoid overflowing gutters, pickpockets, wig thieves, mud splashes and orphans. He offers also quite colorful sketches of ballad singers, thieves, bullies, chairmen, footmen, bouncers and public house owners. Interestingly, the full Index (beginning following p. 80) is quite involved, and lists alleys not to be walked in at night, booksellers, "skill'd in the Weather," the usefullness of canes, the obstacles created by wheel-barrows, drays not to be walked behind, and so on. The poem ends, "Consider, Reader, what Fatigues I've known, The Toils, the Perils of the wintry Town; What Riots seen, what bustling Crouds I bor'd, How oft' I cross'd where Carts and Coaches roar'd; Yet shall I bless my Labours, if Mankind Their future Safety from my Dangers find. Thus the bold Traveller, innur'd to Toil, Whose Steps have printed Asia's desert Soil, The Bar'rous Arabs Haunt; or shiv'ring crosst. Dark Greenland Mountains of eternal Frost; Whom Providence, in length of Years, restores To the wish'd Harbour of his native SHores; Sets forth his Journals fo the publick View, To caution, by his Woes, the wandring Crew. And now compleat my gen'rous Labours lye, Finishe'd, and ripe for Immortality." [3], 1-80 [10] pp.Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets.
Seller: Structure, Verses, Agency Books, Spray, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$2149.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Issue, large-paper copy (engraved headpiece on p. 1 depicts a street scene, not a phoenix, with elaborate engraved ornaments, not printer's ornaments, on pp. 21 and 53) of John Gay's Gay's best remembered poem and perhaps the greatest poem written on life in London. 8vo: [4],80,[12]pp. Full maroon morocco by Riviere, spine in six compartments divided by raised bands and lettered in gilt, renewed marbled end papers, plain paper fly leaves, all edges gilt. Lintott printed 2000 ordinary copies and a further 250 on fine paper, of which our copy is one. A Dublin edition and three other London editions appeared the same year. Fine. Hayward 142. Foxon G82 (fine-paper). Ashley II, p. 135. Rothschild 914 (the statement in Haywood, that "there are two leaves, G7 and G8, blank and genuine, is incorrect"). Bowyer Ledgers 281. Faber, p. 57. Dearing (ed), John Gay. Poetry and Prose 546. Trivia (after the goddess of streets, not the modern meaning, of trifles or unimportant matters) takes Virgil's Georgics as an ironic model for a mock account of outdoor life in London to satirise the noise, stench and danger of contemporary life on its streets. "Though there had been imitations of Virgil's didactics, there had been nothing of the scope, nor any that had hit upon the real idea, of Trivia: to imitate in mock, not just one or another of Virgil's prescriptions, but the entire work." (Dearing). "Gay's satiric thrust is aimed both at idle aristocratic Londoners of the day, at one extreme of the class system, and at loud and aggressive labourers at the other. The playful irony that runs through the poem is intended to appeal to educated readers, who would appreciate the poet's witty allusions to the classics. Gay treats London's streets as a mock parallel to Virgil's farm in the Mantuan countryside, contrasting the contemporary foot-traveller in London, struggling against his surroundings, with Virgil's rural farmer in full accord with his." (Literary Encyclopedia) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Seller: Fine Editions Ltd, Lancaster, PA, U.S.A.
Gay, John. TRIVIA: or, the Art of Walking the Streets of London. Bernard Lintott, London, 1716.
Price: US$2652.87 + shipping
Description: Pp. [iv]+80+[12](index), engraved title page vignette and decorative head & tailpieces, index; demy 8vo; early full calf, spine decorated in gilt compartments between raised bands, with gilt lettered black morocco title label, boards with gilt rule border, small corner ornaments and gilt edges, the joints starting and spine extremities a trifle chipped, boards slightly rubbed, corner tips repaired; all edges sprinkled red; marbled endpapers; armorial bookplate of Alfred C. Hooper on upper pastedown, the hinges strengthened, a little light foxing; printed for Bernard Lintott, London, [1716]. First edition. ESTC T13930; Rothschild 914. *Large paper copy, with the crossed-key vignette and the imprint 'at the Cross-Keys between the Temple Gates in Fleet Street' on the title page, plus the engraved street scene of a woman with an umbrella, a coach, watchman, scavengers and pedestrians, as the first headpiece. Trivia was published on January 26, 1716, in an ordinary edition priced at one and sixpence, and 250 large paper copies subscribed for by friends and patrons of the poet and priced at a guinea. Gay's satirical verse was modelled on Virgil's Georgics, transported to the streets of Hanoverian London. (The title is from the Latin 'trivium', meaning 'crossroads'). The poem contains descriptions of London and includes advice to 'prudent walkers' warning 'those who are unacquainted with the town' against dangers such as pickpockets, whores and runaway carts.
Seller: Kay Craddock - Antiquarian Bookseller, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
John Gay. Trivia or The Art of Walking t the Streets of London. Bernard Lintott, London, 1716.
Price: US$2821.88 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: The first edition of John Gay's poem 'Trivia', with the embellished head and tail pieces. This scarce work is one of 2000 copies printed for this run. This is the first edition of the work, undated to title page though is known to be published in 1716. This copy was sold as a part of Esher Sale part II Sotheby's London 20 May 1946 Lot 770 "Gay's best remembered poem, at once the finest mock-georgic in English and without question the greatest poem on London life in English literature", Irving. This is not the large paper edition, and has the phoenix headpiece to the first page and two printer's ornaments to pages 21 and 53 as it should. According to the ESTC the ornaments to pages 21 and 53 are also used by William Bowyer. To this edition the signature of C3 is unsigned, in accordance with the ESTC's copy. The same year as this publication there was a Dublin imprint and the second London edition due to its popularity. Trivia or the Art of Walking the Streets of London is a poem in three books. It is a graphic and humorous description of eighteenth century London. The narrative tone is mock-heroic form and is aimed at the idle upper and upper-middle class society. With the bookplate of one Oliver Brett to the front pastedown. This is the bookplate of Oliver Sylvain Baliol Brett, 3rd Viscount Esher. Sold as a part of Esher Sale part II Sotheby's London 20 May 1946 Lot 770. Prior owner's inscription to the title page, 'Vincent Mathias'. Possibly the signature of Vincent Mathias c.1711-1782, sub treasurer in the Queen's household and father of famed satirist Thomas James Mathias. The first edition of this humorous eighteenth century poem. In a full calf binding. Rebacked and recornered with contemporary boards preserved. Externally, generally smart with shelfwear to the extremities. Front joint is cracked with the hinge holding by one cord only. May detach with further handling. Prior owner's bookplate to the front pastedown, Oliver Brett. Prior owner's inscription to the title page. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright. Light scattered spots to the first and last few pages. Otherwise, just the occasional light spots. Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
John Gay. Trivia or the Art of Walking. Bernard Lintott, London, 1716.
Price: US$3206.68 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: An exquisite first edition of John Gay's poem 'Trivia'. A scarce work, being one of 2000 copies printed. A finely bound copy of this work. This is the first edition of the work, undated to title page though is known to be published in 1716. "Gay's best remembered poem, at once the finest mock-Georgic in English and without question the greatest poem on London life in English literature" - Irving. This is not the large paper edition, and has the phoenix headpiece to the first page and two printer's ornaments to pages 21 and 53 as called for. According to the ESTC the ornaments to pages 21 and 53 are also used by William Bowyer. This variant has C3 signed, as cited on ESTC reference no T13930. The same year as this publication there was a Dublin imprint and the second London edition due to its popularity. Trivia or the Art of Walking the Streets of London is a poem in three books. It is a graphic and humorous description of eighteenth century London. The narrative tone is mock-heroic form and is aimed at the idle upper and upper-middle class society. In a lovely half crushed morocco binding. With cloth covered boards. Externally, excellent with minor shelfwear to the extremities. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright. Closely cropped to the head of pages, affecting the running title slightly to pages 34-44 and 54-65, G2r and G5r. Closely cropped to the fore-edge affecting the edge of the occasional gloss. Near Fine
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$4375.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo (5-1/2" x 8-3/4") bound in full polished calf with gilt-ruled borders and gilt dentelles by F. Bedford. One of only 250 copies of the Large Paper Issue with the engraved headpiece and ornaments. Gay's best remembered poem and thought by many to be the greatest poem written on life in London in English literature. This copy has a most distinguished provenance with the bookplates of Helen Hay Whitney on the front free endpaper and those of Henry & Elizabeth Mary Collins and Robert Hoe on the front pastedown. On the front blank are several neat older notes establishing an earlier provenance including "Heber's 4th sale 1834. No. 889" and "From Dr. Bliss's Sale. 3 July 1858." In a very small hand might be a reference to the 1803 sale of the John Woodhouse library. Clean copy recently and sympathetically rebacked with gilt decorations and the original burgundy gilt-lettered morocco spine label. A lovely copy with a distinguished provenance
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.
John Gay. Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London. Bernard Lintott, London, 1716.
Price: US$4489.36 + shipping
Description: A very scarce first edition, first issue of John Gay's celebrated work Trivia, in very attractive and expertly rebacked calf binding. One of a mere two hundred and fifty copies to be printed on 'large' paper, the work contains the headpieces included with the edition and is a very sought after work, satirising the state of London's streets during the early eighteenth century. Contains the bookplate of the Rt. Honourable Ann, Countess of Stratford to the endpages, a inkstamp of the noteworthy Selbourne Library, as well as a further bookplate from Dewhurst Lingard, adding further prestige to this sought-after volume. Expertly rebacked in calf binding with gilt detailing. Externally smart, there is some wear to the boards and extremities. Internally, the pages are firmly bound but are somewhat age-toned, with some spotting, ink stamps and bookplates adhered to blanks. Very Good Indeed
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom