ROGET, Peter Mark (1779–1869)

[Original Cloth] Thesaurus of English words : so classified and arranged as to facilitate the expression of ideas and assist in literary composition. Revised and edited, with a list of foreign words, defined in English, and other additions by Barnas Sears

Boston: Gould & Lincoln, 59 Washington Street, 1854. Original Cloth. First expurgated American edition of this essential reference, revised more than 25 times during Roget's life and continually in print since 1852. Crown 8vo (192 x 110mm): 468,[12]pp. Original brown cloth elaborately stamped in blind, spine lettered in gilt, pale yellow end papers. Book label to front paste-down of Library of Rev. J. F. Jones. Light spotting to end sheets and first and final few pages, else an excellent example in original cloth, securely bound and unusually fresh and bright. Kennedy 9784. Vancil, p. 208. Fine. Item #BB2799

First published in London, in 1852 (Kennedy 9775), and scarce in all early editions. The first (unexpurgated) American edition (Kennedy 9780, citing it as second edition overall) was brought out by Little, Brown the previous year. While praising the original edition in his preface, Barnas Sears avers that the preponderance of low and vulgar words is not suitable for general use, and therefore all such words and terms have been dropped from this edition. "In 1840 Roget retired from medical practice, but he kept busy with his other interests. By 1846 he was working hard on a project he had devised more than forty years before, a work that would make him a household name a century and a half later, his Thesaurus of English words and phrases, classified and arranged so as to facilitate the expression of ideas, and assist in literary composition. Roget had the idea for the thesaurus, a treasury of words, early in his career. He set out for his own use a methodical system of verbal classification, in a manuscript notebook in 1805, and kept notes on words for the next four decades. . . . The Thesaurus was published by Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, who issued a run of 1000 copies on 17 January 1852, at a cost of 14s. per copy." (ODNB) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. 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: $349.00