Various [ed. by James Gorle] — Fables from Ancients and Moderns

Birmingham, H.C. Langridge, 1838. Cloth. A very scarce collection of well-known fables adapted into charming children's verse, offering lighthearted lessons for young readers. Fables from Ancients and Moderns, a very scarce collection of fables adapted to verse, written by English clergyman and poet James Gorle.  Very scarce, with only three institutional copies in the UK, held at the University of Oxford, the British Library and the University of Cambridge. In the publisher's original cloth, with end papers and half-title preserved.  Contains the bookplate of Clement Ingelby, believed to be the nineteenth century Shakesperean scholar, critical to proving that John Payne Collier's 'Perkins Folio' was forged.  Including the fables of Aesop, Pheadrus and La Fontaine, Gorle adapts these well-known fables into poems, bringing a light-hearted twist to wise lessons for young readers to enjoy. Despite Gorle editing the fables where necessary for poetical effect, he remains faithful to the originals. In the publisher's original cloth, with end papers and half-title preserved. Externally, the odd faint fading patch and mark to boards. Slight bumping to the head and tail of the spine, and to the extremities. Front end paper hinge has failed, with spine and front board loose from main text, and front free end paper held by cords alone. Ingleby's bookplate to the front pastedown. Previous owner's ink inscription to front free end paper. Slight browning and offsetting to end papers. Internally, leaves i-16 and hinges between pp.32-33 and 112-113 are held by cords alone, with wear to the occasional hinge. Pages are mostly bright and clean, with a couple of spots to the odd leaf. Pencil scribbles to p.88. Good . Ill.: None. Good .