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FALCONER, William : SHIPWRECK, A POEM

FALCONER, William. THE SHIPWRECK, A POEM. Collated with earlier editions. With additional notes and illustrations, and a sketch of the author's life. Embellished with descriptive engravings, by Robert Dodd, Marine Painter. London: Printed for William Baynes ... by John Jackson, 1811. This edition illustrated by Dodd was first issued in 1808, and this copy is one of two editions that were issued in 1811. It reprints the third edition text of the poem, the last to be edited by the author. 18 engraved plates, 3 engraved vignettes, engraved half-title and dedication (to the "Elder Bretheren of the Corporation of Trinity House") pages, each with a vignette, and an engraved folding chart (26 x 31 cm). Quarto (27 x 21 cm). [2], xxxviii, 152 pp. Nineteenth-century three-quarter light brown calf, with gilt decoration and title on spine, and marbled sides. Heraldic bookplate of Christopher Harrison to front pastedown, with his ink signature on title-page. Binding shows a bit of wear on joints, but is sound. Light to moderate foxing to some text leaves, mostly those facing plates. William Falconer (1732-69), a Scottish seaman and poet, first published 'The Shipwreck,' his major poem, in 1762. Founded on his own experience (he was one of only three survivors of a wreck on a voyage from Alexandria to Venice), it tells in three cantos the story of a shipwreck on the coast of Greece. It was an immediate success, going through three editions in the author's lifetime, and reaching an eleventh edition in 1802. It's popularity continued into the nineteenth century where it appeared separately, as here with Dodd's illustrations, and in many collections. The third edition of 'The Shipwreck,' which is printed in this edition, was prepared by Falconer just before his final voyage and contains many alterations. He died at sea in 1769 when the his ship sank after rounding the Cape on its way to India.

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