Authors starting with C from Stuart Bennett Rare Books

London: Printed for, and Sold by J. Knox, 1767. Being An Attempt to restore the English Tongue to its ancient Purity, And to correct, as well as expose, the affected Style, hard Words, and absurd Phraseology of many late Writers, and particularly of Our English Lexiphanes, the Rambler. xxxix, [i], 180pp., 8vo. Entirely untrimmed in the original grey wrappers; backstrip and three corners largely missing, one near-invisible wormhole through the upper cover and into the first two leaves, but an excellent co... more information

Amherst, Mass.: Published by J.S. and C. Adams, and S.C. Carter, 1828. 70pp., 18mo. Corners crinkled at beginning and end, but a very respectable survival in the original printed drab wrappers; chipped at extremities but all lettering, including the spine title and lower cover advertisements, intact. First edition, the adventures of Henry and Maria, children of Mr. and Mrs. Barlow who “lived in a small but flourishing village in the beautiful valley, through which the Connecticut River flows.”... more information

London: Printed for J. Murray, 1779. [ii], 41, [2], 40-44, [2]pp., 4to. With the half-title (“Price Two Shillings and Six Pence”), large engraved title vignette by Grignion after William Hamilton depicting the scalping of Jane McCrea; short marginal tear in half-title, very slight occasional spotting throughout. A large, possibly large-paper copy, disbound. First edition of a significant attack on the government’s actions in the American Revolution: Vain, useless all! the r... more information

Oxford: Printed at the Theater for Anthony Peisley [et al.], 1717. 32pp., 8vo. Small area of black scribble in the title gutter (Eric Quayle attempting to obliterate an old Penzance Library inkstamp), but a nice copy in modern calf-backed boards. With Eric Quayle’s book-label on front pastedown, and some pencilled notes (e.g., “Rare!”). First edition of this modern version of a pseudo-Chaucerian poem which first appeared in John Stow’s 1561 edition, written in what has been called &#... more information

London: Printed by W. Woodfall, 1771. [vii], iii, [1], 6-226, [2]pp., 4to. With a preliminary list of subscribers, a terminal leaf of advertisements and, following the advertisements, the inserted, octavo, “Errata Typographica” submitted “by a Scholar of the deceased Author.” Small embossed library stamp on the blank corner of the title and an ink number on verso, but a large copy, neatly bound in calf-backed marbled boards, antique. First edition, a posthumous production containing... more information

Stockport: Printed by J. Clarke, 1796. [ii], xii, 184, [2]pp., 8vo. With a preliminary leaf, blank except for “Entered at Stationers’ Hall,” a subscribers’ list, and a terminal errata leaf, attractive woodcut printer’s ornaments throughout. A large and fresh copy in contemporary russia gilt; upper joint split but holding. First edition, by a nineteen year-old, dedicated to his schoolmaster at the Free Grammar School, Manchester. The preface declares the young author’s gra... more information

London: Printed for Henry Colburn, 1817. to Arthur Charles Stanhope, Esq. relative to the education of His Lordships's godson, Philip, the late Earl. [iv], xii, 200pp., 12mo. With the half-title, the last four pages (197-200) are publisher’s advertisements. Modern wrappers. First edition of previously-unpublished personal letters from Chesterfield, with an unsigned preface explaining their publication and some of the other characters in the letters, which included (as the boy’s schoomaste... more information

London: Printed for W. Osborne, and T. Griffin, in St. Paul’s Church-Yard, and J. Mozley, Gainsborough, 1787. [ii],xi,[i],129,[1]; 72pp., 18mo. Each work with separate title (and half-title), register and pagination; occasional minor spotting. Neatly bound in calf-backed marbled boards antique, spine gilt. “A New Edition,” in fact the first collected edition of these two works, the first an adaptation of Lord Chesterfield’s famous letters to his son. Gulick, Chesterfield Bibliograp... more information

London: Printed for Luke Meredith, 1685. With Poems on Several Occasions. Never before publish'd. To which is added, a Pindarick on Mr. L'Estrange. [xvi], 142, [2]pp., 8vo. With the terminal leaf of publisher’s adverisements; a few insignificant stains and early pen-marks, upper corner off pp. 85-86 affecting only the page-number, no front free endpaper. Contemporary ownership inscription “Jo: Myddelton his book” on title. A very nice copy in contemporary, certainly publisher&... more information

Ipswich: Printed and Sold by J. Raw, 1825. [ii], viii, [3]-192pp., sm. 8vo. With a subscribers' list (for both large and small paper copies, this the latter). An attractive copy in contemporary green calf, tooled in blind and gilt, spine gilt with double labels; covers somewhat stained and spine ends slightly worn. First edition of the author’s collected works, published the year after her death and with a memoir and some poetical tributes. Mrs. Cobbold was the center of a literary society in... more information

London: Printed for John Harris, 1829. a familiar description of the Manners, Customs, Sports, and Religious Observances of the Ancient Greeks. 2 vols. in one, 18mo. Engraved frontispiece in each volume. Contemporary full roan, tooled in gilt and blind, g.e.; extremities a bit worn. Front pastedown inscribed “Masr. Robt Francis. Islington, Christs 1837. The reward of diligence and good conduct at School.” First edition, combining a description of academic life at Cambridge with a very full ac... more information

Birmingham: Publish'd by the Author Himself, and Printed by M. Swinny, 1804. and which may be sung without the Chaunterpipe of an Italian Warbler, or the ravishing Accompaniments of Tweedle-Dum or Tweedle-Dee. Particularly those which have been most applauded in the author's once popular perfomance, call'd the Brush. The Gallimaufry Garnished with a variety of comic tales, Quaint Epigrams, Whimsical Epitaphs, &. &. xi, [i], 184pp., 12mo. Engraved portrait, with the half-title. Occasio... more information

[London:] Published August 1, 1818 by J. Harris, 1818. Engraved pictorial title-page and 37 plates, 16mo; minor soiling and spotting throughout. Original red roan-backed drab pictorial boards; boards chafed and with only traces of printing visible, front free endpaper missing. A well-used but sound copy. First edition of a very successful poetical help to history, several times reprinted by Harris over the next twenty-five years. The main text appears at the foot of each engraving, with each monarch g... more information

London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, 1765. [iv], 184, [2] pp., sm. 8vo. With a terminal leaf of advertisements for other works by John Langhorne, and the final blank leaf M6. A fine fresh copy in contemporary gilt-ruled trade calf, spine fully gilt; a bit rubbed but perfectly sound. First collected edition of Collins's poetical works, with a biographical notice and extensive commentary by his friend John Langhorne. NCBEL II, 585; Williams, Points in Eighteenth-Century Verse, pp. 71-72... more information

London: Printed for J. Walthow, 1731. a Collection of Miscellany Poems. By Several Hands. xii, 251, [1]pp., sm. 8vo. Some browning and occasional soiling throughout. Contemporaray panelled calf; neatly rebacked. First edition, including several poems by women, many others about them, and many on Irish subjects. I last handled a copy in 1981, without mentioning what is now one of my favorite poems in the book, “A Poem in Praise of Nastiness. To Cindercola Scrub” (it begins “O Goddess ... more information

London: Printed for J. Osborn, 1734. Containing the Chief Rules. . . of Metaphors. Of Affectation in Style. Of Lashy Styles. Of the Use of Foreign Words. Of the Laconick Style. . . Vogue not always a sure Proof of a good Writer. . . . With brief Observations. . . on Denham, Dodwell, Dryden, Cowley. . . . xvi, 246, [2]pp., 8vo. Title leaf a cancel, with a terminal leaf of advertisements for Henry Lintot (see below). Nice copy in calf-backed marbled boards antique, spine gilt. First edition, second iss... more information

London: Richard Bentley, 1834. [iii]-viii, 429, [1]pp., sm. 8vo. Engraved frontispiece and additional title; a little staining throughout. A handsome copy, finely bound in contemporary half green calf, spine tooled in gilt and blind. “Revised, corrected, and illustrated with a new preface, notes, etc by the author.” So says the title, and BAL confirms. The new preface is stated to be “to the present edition in “The Standard Novels.”” BAL 3863. ... more information

Paris: Baudry’s European Library, 1837. With Sketches of Society in the Metropolis. [iii]-xii, 317pp., 8vo. Probably bound without a series or half-title, but an attractive copy in contemporary half red calf, spine fully gilt. One of two editions published in Paris the same year as the London first edition; the Philadelphia edition came after, and with a slightly different title. See BAL 3877-78: the “precise dates” of these Parisian editions have not been determined. ... more information

London: Printed for J. Dodsley, 1791. 2 vols. in one: viii, 246; [iv], 232 pp. 8vo. Short clean tear in Vol. I, pp. 225-226 and Vol. II, pp. 143-4 without loss of text and with all paper present. A fresh and handsome copy in contemporary half calf, spine gilt, with ticket “Bound by Watkins & Parker Stationers, Church Street, Hereford” on front pastedown. First edition, posthumously published and edited by the author's son. Cotton is best remembered for Visions in Verse, a adaptation fo... more information

London: Printed for T. Cadell, 1782. [iv], 84pp., 8vo. Handsome copy in red morocco-backed cloth, spine gilt-lettered, by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. First London edition of a play first acted in 1780; this authorized version was preceded by two Dublin piracies in 1781. Mrs. Cowley was both impulsive and commercial: she wrote her first play in response to a dare from her husband after she claimed she could write lines at least as good as those in the play they were watching. That play and its successors w... more information