A THEATRE OF WITS
First separately issued edition of this anthology of maxims and aphorisms, printed in the first year of the Restoration.
Near fine.
Price: $1,500.00
A THEATRE OF WITS
"Isocrates, of a Scholar full of words, asked a double Fee, One, he said, to learn him to speak well, another to teach him to hold his peace."
In keeping the selections short, Forde's collection has a distinct echo of Twitter, with clever anecdotes and pithy wisdom doled out in only a few lines each. Yet it also captures the spirit of the Restoration, simultaneously looking back on the best of the ancient Greek and Roman authors and looking forward to new contributions by English writers, from Socrates and Alexander the Great to John Foxe and Anne Boleyn. Of particular interest are the typographical choices of the printer: the "punchlines" of each anecdote are set in italics, while the setups are in roman type. Also published as one section of his major work of the Restoration, VIRTUS REDIVIVA, this edition with its own 1660 title page shows only 5 OCLC holdings. This copy from the famed Macclesfield library.
Read more: Wing F1548A.
The Object
London: Printed by R. and W. Leybourn, for William Grantham, 1660. Full title: A theatre of wits, Ancient and Modern. Represented in a Collection of Apothegmes. Pleasant and Profitable. By Tho. Forde. 16mo. 6'' x 3.75''. Twentieth-century half speckled calf, marbled boards, raised bands ruled in gilt, red goatskin spine label. All edges stained red. Woodcut headpieces and initials. [6], 90 pages. Engraved bookplate of the Earls of Macclesfield, North Library. Text block cropped close, shaving some page numbers; loss to top corner of D5, affecting a few words.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
