Rerum Hibernicarum scriptores veteres.: One of 26 large paper copies with a few additional plates and cancelled sheets.

4 vols. (= all published). With 14 (5 folding) engraved plates. Publisher's interim boards, printed paper labels to spines. All edges uncut. 4to (284 x 226 mm). Spine-ends slightly damaged, covers lightly soiled. Volume I spine restored with new label.


Graesse V, 8 ; Brunet IV, 155 ; Lowndes 1165 ; Martin, Privately printed books 216-219. First and only edition. One of a special edition of 26 large paper copies with a few additional plates and cancelled sheets which gives it a kind of unique feature, not indicated by Martin in his extensive description of the book. He only mentions a copy described in the catalogue of the holdings of the Stowe library with a supposedly unique set of the cancelled sheets, because according to that description all others had been destroyed ! (1) Vol. I with one additional title with a variant text and publishing date 1813. A second plate to the Codex Hibernici after page 174. (2) Vol. II with five additional cancelled sheets printed on rectos only and one additional plate. (3) Vol. III with a different title (variant text, imprint and publishing date 1824). - "This laborious and useful work was undertaken at the expense of the first Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. ... About two hundred sets were made complete of the four volumes. Twenty six volumes were printed on large paper. ... They contain Latin translations from the original Iberno-Celtic MSS. in the library at Stowe. (Now in the collection of the Earl of Ashburnham). The most important and interesting works illustrative of the history and antiquities of Ireland were selected, and these volumes embody no article ever before printed or, it might be almost added, ever before known to the literary world, excepting perhaps by name. ... This work must always be deemed essential to any literary collection professing to have the history of Ireland among its objects, as well for the rich mine of curious matter contained in Dr. O'Conor's notes, as for the original texts. ... Ms. note by Sheffield Grace. Stowe Library Catalogue No. 3847. In the same catalogue No. 6138 was a set of the cancelled sheets in the four volumes. Rare, being the only copy preserved, the rest being all destroyed" (Martin 219). – Volume IV with a few brown spots here and there. A nice broadmargined and completely uncut set in its original publishing state.