Opera: emendabat et notulis illustrabat Gilbertus Wakefield. by [Virgil] Vergilius Maro, Publius (Wakefield, Gilbert, ed.)

Londini [London]: Impensis Kearsley, 1796. LARGE PAPER COPY, 2 vols., 8vo, pp. [iv], 274, [34]; [iv], 301, [27]. First and last leaf of vol. 2 blank. Contemporary marbled calf, boards bordered with a gilt roll, spines divided by gilt rolls, red and green morocco labels, marbled endpapers, edges yellow. Some light spotting and soiling. Neatly rebacked preserving original spines, corners a touch worn, some light scratches to boards. Bookplate of Robert J. Hayhurst to front pastedown of vol. 1. The luxuriously-margined large-paper issue of the scholar and controversialist Gilbert Wakefield's (1756-1801) edition of Virgil, part of a frantic run of work to support himself following his resignation from Hackney College. Despite the haste involved in his rate of output, his classical editions 'established Wakefield as one of the two leading British scholars of his time, the other being Richard Porson' (ODNB). ESTC T139445.