Descrizione

8vo., First Edition, with an engraved portrait frontispiece and an engraved plate, some light offsetting from frontispiece to title; nineteenth century half roan, marbled boards, marbled endpapers, very neatly rebacked with old backstrip (lettered in gilt) laid down, a remarkably crisp, clean copy. Walker (1761-1810) Irish antiquary, writer and translator, was a founder member of the Royal Irish Academy. An acute asthmatic, he spent much time in Italy indulging his lifelong love of Italian literature; among his most important works is 'Historical Memoir on Italian Tragedy' (1799). On his return to Ireland he settled in Bray to pursue his parallel passion for Irish antiquities, resulting in many studies including 'Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards' (1786). The present work was published posthumously with a lengthy preface by his brother and poems in his memory by Eyles Irwin. The fine portrait frontispiece and plate are engraved by Neagle after the author and Redmond respectively. The extended title reads: Memoirs of Alessandro Tassoni, Author of La Secchia Rapita; or, the Rape of the Bucket; interspersed with occasional Notices of his literary Contemporaries, and a general Outline of his various Works. Also, an Appendix containing biographical Sketches of Ottavio Rinuccini, Galileo Galilei, Gabriello Chiabrera, Battista Guarini, and an inedited Poem of Torquato Tasso with additional Notes and the Author's Preface by the late Joseph Cooper Walker. Edited by Samuel Walker. RARE.