James Thomson; Percival Stockdale — The Seasons

London, A. Hamilton, 1793. Leather. A beautifully illustrated edition of James Thomson's romantic rural poem, the first edition to have the notes of Percival Stockdale. This is the first edition with Percival Stockdale's notes.Illustrated with a frontispiece, vignette title page, four plates, and eight in-text engravings.Collated, complete.'The Seasons' is James Thomson's best known poem.The work is a series of four poems, each focusing on one season of the year.'The Seasons' is a long blank verse poem, and reflects on the landscape of the countryside. For the poem, Thomson borrowed Milton's Latin influence vocabulary and inverted word order.This was an immensely popular and influential work when it was published, inspiring the likes of Thomas Gainsborough and J. M. W. Turner.The work wasn't just influential in the literary world, but also in the legal world; there were disputes over the publishing rights for the poem, and it led to two important legal decisions, Millar v. Taylor and Donaldson v. Beckett, both landmarks in the history of copywriting.In a prize binding from Trinity College Dublin, with a rubbed prize label to the front pastedown. Institutional label and stamps to the verso of the front endpaper, and recto to the front endpaper from the East Sussex County Library. Prior owner's ink inscription to the head of the dedication, 'Catherine Adams&apos. Presentation label from Mrs. D. R. Biggs to the rear pastedown dated 1942. In a calf prize binding from the Trinity College Dublin, rebacked with the original boards restored. Externally, generally smart. Boards are a little cocked. Evidence of a label being formerly adhered to the tail of the spine. Light rubbing to the boards and extremities. Light bumping to the extremities.Minor marks to the boards. Institutional label and stamps to the verso of the front endpaper, and recto to the front endpaper. Label to the rear pastedown. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean with some odd spots. Offsetting of prior owner's ink inscription to the reverse of the title page. Prior owner's ink inscription to the head of the dedication. Very Good . Ill.: Not Stated. Very Good .