FERGUSSON, Robert (1750-1774)

Poems on various subjects . . . In two parts [Charles Whibley's copy]

Perth: Printed by R. Morison, Junr. For R. Romison and Son, Booksellers; and Sold by J. Murray, No. 32, Fleet-street, London, M,DCC,LXXXVIII [1788]-89. First Edition thus. Full Leather. First Printing of this uncommon edition (published for Morison's Edition of Scottish Poets), with no copies currently on the market and Rare Book Hub recording only one at auction, in 1977. 12mo (148 x 85mm): viii,104; [8],128pp, with portrait frontispiece and two further copper-engraved plates. "Although dated 1788 on the title-page, this volume was probably not issued until the succeeding year. The portrait frontispiece is dated March 18th 1789." (Fairley) Title page to part two adds the imprint: G. Mudie, Edinburgh. Modern period-style mottled brown leather, spine in six compartments decorated with Greek key roll, black leather lettering piece gilt, end papers renewed. Book plate of bibliophile Charles Whibley (1859-1930): Sum Caroli Whibley. A handsome copy (few gatherings lightly toned), beautifully bound and generally clean throughout, with excellent provenance. Fairley 19. Near Fine+. Item #BB2256

A scarce early posthumous edition of a title first published in 1773 (as Poems) and 1779 (Part II), Fairley 5 and 11, with second and third editions, respectively, in 1782 (Fairley 12) and 1785 (Fairley 14 and 15). "Fergusson was Robert Burns's favourite Scottish poet, and, though they never met, they had friends in common. When Burns was awaiting the publication of the Edinburgh edition of his own work in 1787 he complained about the lack of a headstone at Fergusson's grave; eventually he paid for and composed the inscription for such a memorial. Burns addressed several poems to Fergusson, calling him 'Heaven-taught Fergusson' and 'my elder brother in Misfortune / By far my elder Brother in the muse.' Several of Burns's poems, including 'The Cottar's Saturday Night', are modelled on works by Fergusson, who has continued to be revered by Scottish poets. . . . Robert Louis Stevenson regarded him as 'so clever a boy, so wild . . . so like myself' and planned to add words to his tombstone 'as the gift of one Edinburgh lad to another' (Letters, 8.290–91)." (ODNB) Whibley is best known for bringing T. S. Eliot to the attention of Geoffrey Faber, resulting in Eliot's being hired as an editor at Faber and Gwyer. Eliot's essay "Charles Whibley" (1931) was published in his Selected Essays, 1917-1932. In Eliot's London Letter (June 1922) he says, "I prize . . . Mr. Whibley because he has read so many things that I have not read and because he is not a Whig." 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. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $949.00