THE WORKS OF THE ENGLISH POETS with Prefaces, Historical and Critical / The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser by JOHNSON, Samuel, LL.D. / Re-edited, with new biographical and criticalmatter, by J. Aikin, M.D - 1802

London: Printed for J. Heath et al. Complete six volume set handsomely bound in full polished calf. 1802. 12mo, . "Taken from the text of J. Upton, with a text, biographical and critical, by J. Aikin, M.D." John Aikin (1747-1822) studied at Edinburgh, London, and Leyden (from which he received his MD). He practised at Yarmouth, and moved to Stoke Newington in 1798, where his home was frequented by many of the savants of the day (Priestley, Darwin, Howard and others). He wrote many biographical and critical essays and prefaces. This is a new edition of Dr. Johnson's "English Poets", and Dr. Aikin, in his Preface, makes clear that he did not entirely approve of either the selection of poets in the previous editions, or of Dr. Johnson's editorial comments, viz. "the editor has, indeed, ventured to subjoin [to Dr. Johnson's comments] ... some remarks of his own; in which he thinks himself justified, as well by the common privileges of literature, as by the general opinion, that the criticism of Dr. Johnson, acute and masterly as it is, has occasionally been warped by prejudiced and defective judgments". Our offering deals only with the works of Edmund Spenser (1552-1599). It is a complete set, with gilt rules to the boards, gilt ornamentation to the spines, and marbled endpapers and foredges. The boards of each volume are somewhat bowed, and show rubbing to the extremities. The bindings are tight throughout, and the contents unmarked, save for the odd bit of foxing. Armorial bookplate and pasted letter "Q" inside front board of each volume - no other previous owner's markings. Illustrated throughout with engravings (many tissue-guarded). A very nice set. .