Lot 66: POPE, Alexander (1688-1744). An Essay on Criticism. London: printed for W. Lewis, sold by

POPE, Alexander (1688-1744). An Essay on Criticism. London: printed for W. Lewis, sold by W. Taylor, T. Osborn and J. Graves, 1711.

4° (208 x 150mm). Half-title. (Without the final advertisement leaf.) Blue morocco gilt by B.M. Pickering, gilt edges. Provenance: Frederick Locker-Lampson (1821-1895, bookplate) -- F. Grant (bookplate) -- James B. Clemens, sold 9 January 1945, Parke-Bernet, New York, lot 348, for $350 (£87 10s.).

FIRST EDITION OF POPE'S FIRST SEPARATELY-PUBLISHED WORK, containing several of his most celebrated lines, 'A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing' (215), 'To Err is Humane; to Forgive Divine (525) and 'For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread (625). One thousand copies were printed. With POPE'S AUTOGRAPH RECEIPT MADE OUT TO A SUBSCRIBER IN ADVANCE PAYMENT FOR THE FIRST VOLUME OF THE ILIAD. Dated May 18th [1714] on a narrow slip, this reads: 'Receiv'd of Rich d. Potinger Esq. Two Guineas being the first Paym t for Homer's Iliad translated by A. Pope.' The Iliad 'was to be a subscription book, issued one volume per year over six years at a guinea a volume. The initial down payment was set at two guineas to defray the translator's out-of-pocket expense in collecting "the several Editions, Criticks and Commentators, which are very numerous upon this Author"; after which one guinea was due on delivery of each successive volume except the last, which would be free' (M. Mack, Alexander Pope, 1988, p. 266). Foxon P-806; Griffith 2; Hayward 145; Rothschild 1562; Rowfant Catalogue p. 163.

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