Thomas Campbell [ed.] — Specimens of the British Poets

London, John Murray, 1819 . First edition. Cloth. The first edition of this delightful seven volume collection of the works of famous and obscure British poets, from 1400 to 1805. The first edition, complete in seven volumes.Edited by Scottish poet Thomas Campbell, chiefly remembered for his sentimental poetry. Volume I contains an essay on English poetry from Campbell. Volumes II-VII contain biographical and critical notes of the most prominent British poets, with examples of their works, chronologically arranged from 1400 to 1805: Volume II covers Chaucer, 1400, to Beaumont, 1628; Volume III Drayton, 1631, to Phillips, 1664; Volume IV Shirley, 1666, to Prior, 1721; Volume V Sewell, 1726, to Carey, 1763; Volume VI Churchill, 1764, to Johnson, 1784; Volume VII Whitehead, 1785, to Anstey, 1805. Campbell's success giving a series of lectures on poetry at the Royal Institute led to the favourable reception of these works. The project had been underway since 1805 and completed at irregular intervals, Campbell complaining that he had to wade through oceans of bad poetry "where not a fish is to be caught" (Beattie, 2.47).  With the bookplate of R. E. Maddison to each front pastedown. Rebound in cloth. Externally, excellent. Spine labels lightly age toned. Endpapers renewed. Bookplates to front pastedowns. Rear hinge of volumes I, III, front hinge of volumes II, VI strained, but firmly held. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright, with instances of spotting throughout each volume, to perimeters of leaves. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .