Description

The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Compared with the Former Editions, and many valuable MSS. Out of which, Three Tales are added which were never before Printed; By John Urry, Student of Chirst-Church, Oxon. Deceased; Together with a Glossary, By a Student of the same College. To the Whole is prefixed The Author’s Life, newly written, and a Preface, giving an Account of this edition, Printed for Bernard Lintot, between the Temple Gates, London, 1721, FRIST URRY EDITION! 626 pp, 81 pp, plus errata, frontispiece of Urry, full-page engraving of Chaucer, vignettes of each Tale, full leather signed binding measuring 16 x 10.25”, folio. In fair condition. Front board detached from binding. Full leather boards normally scuffed at edges and worn/bumped at corners. Head of spine rubbed with chipping exhibited at front hinge. Red moroccan leather title label chipped at rear hinge ("W" in "WORKS" lacking). Raised bands rubbed. Scuffing to boards. Signed binding found on contemporary front paste-down's top edge: "E. Howell Liverpool." Modern end-papers are toned & prone to chipping. Normal off-setting to leaves adjacent to plates/vignettes. Normal toning to edges of leaves; some instances of finger-soiling. Water or tea dampness staining found on pages 26-35. Small ink stain found on pages 590-1. Some light instances of pencil marginalia throughout text-block. Rear gutter beginning to crack at tail. Text-block's binding is intact, but front board needs re-attached. Please see photos and ask questions, if any, before purchasing. John Urry (1666 in Dublin, Ireland – 18 March 1715 in Oxford, Great Britain) was a noted literary editor and medieval scholar of Scottish family. Matriculating from Christ Church, Oxford on 30 June 1682, he was elected to a studentship. He graduated B.A. in 1686. However (his father William was a major of the royal guards in Scotland at the Restoration, and his uncle John fought on both sides in the Civil War), the younger John Urry fought against Monmouth, and would not swear the oath of allegiance to William III on his accession, thereby losing his studentship. At the end of 1711, Christ Church's dean Francis Atterbury convinced a reluctant Urry to edit a proposed new edition of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer. After Urry's his death Thomas Ainsworth of Christ Church, who had already been employed under Urry in transcribing part of the text of Chaucer, was thought the best qualified to proceed with the edition. He died in August 1719, and the work was finally revised by Timothy Thomas, another graduate of Christ Church, and appeared in 1721 under the title The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer compared with the former editions and many valuable MSS.’ (London, fol.). The life of Chaucer prefixed to the volume was the work of the Rev. John Dart, corrected and revised by Timothy Thomas. The glossary appended was also mainly compiled by Thomas. The text of the edition is probably the worst ever prepared on account of Urry's unpardonable habit of lengthening and shortening Chaucer's words , and even introducing words of his own to suit his views of the metre. Urry was a friend of Thomas Hearne, who styles him a ‘thorough pac'd scholar’ and a ‘truly worthy and virtuous, as well as ingenious, gentleman.’ A portrait of Urry, engraved by N. Pigné, is prefixed to the work. First Urry edition. FORN-SHELF-0471-BB-2411-HK2185