Bibliographic Notes on One Hundred Books Famous in English LiteratureKent, Henry Watson
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Bibliographic Notes on One Hundred Books Famous in English Literature
Kent, Henry Watson
Best books; English literature -- First editions -- Bibliography; English literature -- History and criticism
Edward Blount, the stationer, who published Shakespeare's
folio works, tells us in a preface to Lyly's _Sixe Court
Comedies_, which he collected and William Stansby printed in
1632, of the sensation _Euphues_ created when it appeared.
"Our Nation," he wrote, "are in his (i.e. Lyly's) debt, for a
new Engliſh which hee taught them. Euphues and his England
began firſt, that language: All our Ladies were then his
Scollers; And that Beautie in court, which could not Parley
Euphueiſme, was as little regarded, as ſhee which, now
there, ſpeakes not French."
Quarto. Black letter and Roman. The fifth edition.
COLLATION: _A-Z, in fours_.
SIR PHILIP SIDNEY
(1554-1586)
11. The | Countesse | Of Pembrokes | Arcadia, | Written By Sir
Philippe | Sidnei. | [Coat-of-arms of the Sidney family] London |
Printed for William Ponſonbie. | Anno Domini, 1590.
The _Arcadia_ was begun in 1580, and when finished, probably
before 1583, was circulated in manuscript copies amongst the
author's friends. That he did not wish to have it printed is
evident from his affectionate dedication to his sister, where
he says:
"HEre now haue you (moſt deare, and moſt worthy to be
moſt deare Lady) this idle worke of mine: which I fear (like
the Spiders webbe) will be thought fitter to be ſwept away,
than worn to any other purpoſe. For my part, in very trueth
(as the cruell fathers among the Greekes, were woont to doo
to the babes they would not foſter) I could well find in my
harte, to caſt out in ſome deſert of forgetfulnes this
child, which I am loath to father. But you deſired me to
doo it, and your deſire, to my hart is an abſolute
commandement. Now, it is done onelie for you, onely to you: if
you keepe it to yourſelfe, or to ſuch friendes, who will
weigh errors in the ballaunce of good will, I hope, for the
fathers ſake, it will be pardoned, perchance made much of,
though in itſelfe it haue deformities. For indeede, for
ſeuerer eyes it is not, being but a trifle, and that
triflinglie handled. Your deare ſelfe can best witnes the
maner, being done in looſe ſheetes of paper, moſt of it
in your preſence, the reſt, by ſheetes ſent vnto
you, as faſt as they were done.... But his chiefe ſafetie
ſhal be the not walking abroad; & his chiefe protection, the
bearing the liuerye of your name; which (if much good will do
not deceaue me) is worthy to be a ſanctuary for a greater
offender."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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