[Rarebooks] fs: The Triflers: 1805 auction account

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

Includes an entertaining account of an afternoon at
the auctions rooms at Bath-


(Graves, Richard). THE TRIFLERS; consisting of trifling essays,
trifling anecdotes, and a few poetical trifles. By an Adept in the
Art of Trifling... to which is added The Rout. A new edition.
With a few Additions, corrected by the Author. Also the Farmer's
Son, by the late Rev. R. Graves...

London; printed for the Author's Executrix and sold
by H.D. Symonds...: 1805.

A curious compilation of essays and poetry, some vaguely-humorous
with a dry-as-bone wit, some simply preachy. But there is a very
interesting and witty essay on an afternoon at the action rooms
at Bath, of which this is an excerpt-

"Now came the principal object of Lady Bustleton's attention -an
elegant mahogany chest of drawers; an useful piece of furniture
which her ladyship wanted.

"Half a guinea, (cries one of her ladyship's humble companions)

"A guinea and a half," (cries some spirited bidder)

"five shillings more", says the young lady.

In short it went on to three guineas and a half! - four guineas!"
cries her ladyship herself, when down it was knocked.

Well! says one of her companions, it is a perdigious bargain!

Yes! indeed, says another of her ladyship's friends, I had no
ideur it would have gone under five guineas.

A plain looking man, who sat beside me (and who I found was
a cabinet maker) whispered to one who sat next to him
"it went new out of my shop for three guineas"."

A second edition was published in 1806. Neither edition is
all that common -OCLC locates six copies of each.

Hardcover. 4.5"x7.5", viii + 177 + 2 pages, engraved frontispiece.
Rebound in 1/2 red leather with a ribbed spine and gilt title;
red cloth boards. Spine rubbed; pp. 83/4 with a professional-
looking tape repair; some scattered foxing and a little browning.
Handsome bookplate and small bookseller's ticket on front
pastedown. [03348] $150.00

Picture- <http://www.joslinhall.com/images/th-03348.jpg>




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