Cadenus and Vanessa. A poem. By Dr. S—t.
London: printed for N. Blandford; and sold by J. Peele, 1726.
Price: $4,000.00
About the item
First Blandford edition. 31 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Recent marbled boards. Very good. Teerink 658; Foxon S819; Rothschild 2100; ESTC T19811.
Item #260186
A famous poem about the relationship between Swift and Esther Vanhomrigh ("Vanessa"), who died in 1723 and among whose papers a manuscript of the poem was found. It was first published in Dublin on about April 19, 1726, and a second edition followed shortly afterwards, adding ten "incriminating" lines; these two Dublin printings are very rare. On May 19 two rival editions, both unauthorized, appeared in London, this one, which follows the first Dublin printing, and one published by J. Roberts, which follows the second. Blandford went on to issue six more editions within the year, and Roberts several more as well. "This edition follows the text of the Dublin first edition and omits the additional ten lines" (Foxon)
RARE. Neither of the first Blandford or Roberts printings has appeared at auction (in ABPC) since 1982.
