[Rarebooks] FS: 1851 Illustrated Edition of Blair's "The Grave"

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

TITLE: “The Grave. A Poem”

By Robert Blair.
Published in Philadelphia by Willis P. Hazard in 1851.

DISCUSSION: “Robert Blair [1699-1746] was a Scottish poet. He was the
eldest son of the Rev. Robert Blair, one of the king's chaplains, and was
born at Edinburgh. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh and in
the Netherlands, and in 1731 was appointed to the living of Athelstaneford
in East Lothian. His family's wealth gave him leisure for his favourite
pursuits: gardening and the study of English poets. Blair published only
three poems. One was a commemoration of his father-in-law and another was
a translation. His reputation rests entirely on his third work, The Grave
(1743), which is a poem written in blank verse on the subject of death and
the graveyard. It is much less conventional than its gloomy title might
lead one to expect. Its religious subject no doubt contributed to its
great popularity, especially in Scotland, where it gave rise to the
so-called "graveyard school" of poetry. The poem extends to 767 lines of
very various merit, in some passages rising to great sublimity, and in
others sinking to commonplace. The poem is now best known for the
illustrations created by William Blake following a commission from Robert
Cromek. Blake's designs were engraved by Luigi Schiavonetti, and published
in 1808”.

This edition is illustrated with 8 plates of scenes by several artists,
none of the William Blake. The text includes a “Life of Blair” by S.C.
Hall.

DESCRIPTION: Hardcover. 5.5”x7.75”, 74 pages, 8 plates. Publisher’s
embossed cloth with gilt decorations.

CONDITION NOTES: The have some minor wear (please see the photos, above
and below). The contents have some minor soil, and the first plate is
starting to pull away (needs a touch of glue) but otherwise clean and
nice, with a tight binding.

PRICE: $100 -

SOME PICTURES =>

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