Lot 323: [COOK, JAMES.]

[WELLESLEY, RICHARD COLLEY, Marquess of Wellesley.] Primitiae et reliquiae. London: W. Nicol, 1840. [6], 58, [2], 19, [1] pp. In Latin and English. 8vo. Period boards. Some toning and fingersoiling, hinges cracked, rebacked. Untrimmed. 6 leaves of addenda in plain wrappers are laid in.

First edition, presentation copy, inscribed on the f.f.e. for Sir John Williams. Includes Wellesley's poem on the death of Captain Cook written at Christ College, Oxford and recited on July, 1780: "In obitum viri eximii et celeberrimi navigatoris Jacobi Cook." Published for the first time 60 years after the event, this Cook eulogy is very important due to its extremely early date. It was written, in fact, well before the full circumstances of his death were known in Europe, as alluded to in a footnote in this work. Wellesley was the brother of the Duke of Wellington. Beddie 2477 (1841 edition); Dobell, Books Printed for Private Circulation, p 190; Martin, Privately Printed Books, p 489.
Provenance: Presentation inscription to Sir John Williams; bibliographic notes on inside upper cover, possibly by Williams; bookplate of Augustus Birrell; gift inscription and letter from Birrell to Harold Baker.