Author: AESOP.
Title: Select Fables of Esop and Other Fabulists. In Three Books.
Description: London: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley..., 1761. FIRST EDITION. 8vo, pp. [ii], iv, lxiii [lxxiv blank], 130, [3], 133 - 175, 177 - 204, [28] pp. index, engraved frontispiece, 15 full-page engraved plates usually with 12 small engravings on each leaf, but with two leaves having fewer, 3 engraved vignettes, 3 engraved tail-pieces, 19th century marbled boards, leather label; upper corner of fore-margin of frontispiece (very slightly browned) repaired, P5 creased with fore-margin very slightly frayed. A modest copy. This edition of Aesop was edited and partially written by Robert Dodsley; published on 23 February 1761, it was an instant success. James E. Tierney, in his edition of Dodsley's correspondences notes that the Monthly Review called it "ingenious...elegant...and very useful...a classical performance." The Critical Review praised Dodsley as the "best prose-writer of apologues of this or any country." There are fables by Aesop, as well as more recent writers, not to mention ones by Dodsley and his friends, and Dodsley covered himself in glory with this publication. It was also printed by Baskerville in a larger and more elegant format (Gaskell 14). The work was reprinted several times in the 18th century. ESTC N21210 locates copies in O; CaOHM, CLU-S/C, CLU-C, GEU, MH-H, NcD; OOxM. There is also a copy in the Spencer Library, Kansas. Copies of the Baskerville printing are more common.

Keywords: fables allegory literature


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