Fine Books & Manuscripts

CHAUCER, Geoffrey (1340?–1400). –– TYRWHITT, Thomas (1730–1786), editor. The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer… Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1798. 2 volumes. 4to (273 x 215 mm). Engraved portrait frontispiece of Tyrwhitt by Heath in Vol. I; with tissue guard. Contemporary half leather over marbled boards, raised bands, two morocco spine labels with gilt titles, gilt centerpieces and ruling in compartments, all edges dyed red, marbled endpapers (front hinge to Vol. I partially rebacked, hinges cleanly broken to Vol. II, boards rubbed, occasional pale spotting to margins, else clean). Provenance: bookplate of John D. Galletti. Second edition published after Tyrwhitt’s death as a “tribute of respect for the editor”, incorporating the changes from his own annotated copy of the first edition of 1775. Lowndes, p. 427. Chiefly regarded in its editorial practices of Chaucer including only words, phrases and punctuation that Chaucer used himself drawing parallels to that of the work of Thomas Newton and his 1749 edition of Milton’s “Paradise Lost”.