Thomas Linley — Twelve Ballads Set to Music

London, S. A. & P. Thompson, 1780. First edition. Cloth. A very scarce volume of twelve ballads put to music by the leading Georgian musician Thomas Linley, the first edition. The first edition of this very scarce work.A volume of twelve beautiful ballads put to music, prime examples of music popular during the Georgian era. For solo voice and harpsichord, printed on two staves with figured bass. Ballads include: "I sing of the days that are gone", "Delia my heart's delight", "Dear to my soul is Damon's love", "When Delia's secret glance I meet", "O absence vainly have I sought", "False Delia adieu to my chain", "Primroses deck the banks green side", "The lark sings high in the cornfield", "Ah! dearest maid I am not sad", "If I my charmer's name repeat", "Think not my love when secret grief", and "Alas from the day my poor heart".Undated, dated from Jisc from a copy held at the University of Oxford Libraries, and the dedication leaf.By Thomas Linley the Elder, a Bath-based bass and musician, who passed on his musical genes to his eight children. His daughter Elizabeth Ann married Richard Brinsley Sheridan.One page of adverts to the rear. Rebound in quarter cloth with paper wraps. Externally, generally smart. Light edge wear and handling marks to the wraps. Small tidemark to the front wrap. A small amount of loss to the head and tail of the spine. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean with scattered spots. Small tidemark to the first few pages. Stamp to the head of the title page. Good . Ill.: None. Good .