Don Juan

London: vols. 1-2, by Thomas Davison [for John Murray]; vols. 3-5, for John Hunt; vol. 6, for John and H. L. Hunt, 1819-1824.

Uncut in original boards

(Item #4648) Don Juan. George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord.

Don Juan

London: vols. 1-2, by Thomas Davison [for John Murray]; vols. 3-5, for John Hunt; vol. 6, for John and H. L. Hunt, 1819-1824. First edition. Together 6 volumes, the first in quarto, the others octavo. Uncut in original boards with printed paper spine labels, vol. I rebacked with grey paper preserving original label, the second volume in brown paper-backed blue boards as issued, the others drab paper boards. Housed in red half morocco chemises and boxes. Vol. 3 with final advert leaf dated July 1823; vol. 4 with 4 final advert leaves, dated September 1823; vol. 6 with final advert leaf dated March 1824 and errata slip tipped in. Contemporary bookseller’s ticket “Sold by C. Chapple, at his Circulating Library, Pall Mall”, to vol. I; vol. II with ownership signature of one Edward Fawkes, 1821, alongside remnant of bookplate to front pastedown; fragment of same bookplate to vol. III and VI; contemporary bookplate of John Fitchett to front pastedown of vol. V (likely the poet, 1776-1830, author of the epic poem King Alfred, published 1841-2). All a little worn with some splits to joints but bindings holding, vol. V spine more substantially worn with label lost (with early manuscript label at foot of spine), vol. III with slight loss to label, vol. IV with slight repair at foot of spine and tear at foot of front free endpaper; contents with some foxing, light staining at fore edge of sigs. S-T of vol. I. A very good set.

First edition of Byron’s masterpiece, a rare complete set uncut in original boards.

The work had an unorthodox publishing history. Murray was nervous about the first two cantos and requested cuts, but Byron was uncooperative, so Murray only agreed to publish in quarto format, with his printer, Thomas Davison, named, and therefore bearing the legal responsibility. Priced at £1 11s. 6d, the first volume was, as Murray no doubt intended, prohibitively expensive. Murray was even more unhappy about cantos 3-5, which went out again under Davison's name, though in a more affordable octavo. Thereafter Murray would have nothing to do with the poem, and the later cantos were published in octavo by Leigh Hunt's brother John, who relished publishing radical or controversial works.

“Virginia Woolf described Don Juan as the most readable poem in the language, a view that few would gainsay. It is an opinion that can, however, obscure the poem's greatness. In English only The Canterbury Tales can compare in terms of stylistic brilliance, and no English poem - perhaps no novel - has aspired to, or achieved, such a comprehensive interpretative grasp of a period and a world. It is also the funniest poem in the language” (ODNB).

Wise, Byron II, pp. 3-8; Randolph p. 69.
(Item #4648)

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