The Comic Muse. GENUINE SONS OF WITT AND HUMOUR

ONLY ONE OTHER COPY LOCATED

The Comic Muse, A Choice Collection of Humourous Tales, Witty Epigrams, Epitaphs, &c. Collected from the writings of the Genuine Sons of Witt and Humour.

First Edition. 8vo in 4s. [160 x 95 x 25 mm]. v, [i], 178 pp. Bound in contemporary calf, and covered with a paper wrapper with manuscript paper label. (Front cover partly detached, worn, lacking free endleaves, early ink inscriptions on pastedowns).
London: printed in the year 1772.

The volume has been well used and there is some soiling and minor staining throughout. The covers have been held together by an early paper wrapper, which partly conceals inscriptions and jottings on the pastedowns. For an extensive survey of early wrappers I recommend Julia Miller, Meetings by Accident. Selected Historical Bindings (2018), Chapter 3 (pp.208-307), "Wrapped with Care: Overcovers".

This is the sole edition and ESTC locates only a single copy, at Oxford.

The preface "To The Reader" advises: "To pass the dull evening in pleasure away, / And laugh at the cares of mankind; / Accept of a chearful companion to day, / To mirth and amusement inclin'd; / The conteNts of our volume will amply repay / The Expense that the purchase has cost, / And none but a blockhead will seriously say, / That the time or his money was lost". All but one of the verses are anonymous and include "Mary the Cook to Dick the Farmer, An Epistle", "Robin's Spectacles, A Tale", "A Batchelor's Address, or Proposal to the Maidens", "Whimsical Wealthy's Will", "Reynard out-witted: or, the Lawyer caught in his own Trap", "The Coquette" ("Clarinda proudly trips it o'er the pier, / And thinks herself the fairest of the fair. / The praise of fops and fools has made her vain, / And tuneful nonsense turn's her thoughtless brain."), "The Bath Ghost", "The Disappointed Travellers of Frome", "A Lady to the Rev. Dean Swift" ("Cries Celia to a Reverend Dean, / What Reason can be given, / Since Marriage is a holy Thing, / That there is none in Heaven.") and "A Beautiful young Nymph going to Bed".

Stock no. ebc8262