A DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS FROM THE ENGLISH POETS BY HENRY G. BOHN, F.R.A.S. F.L.S. F.R.H.S. F.St.S. F.R.G.S. AND HONORARY MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF GENEVA, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SHAKESPEARE,' ETC. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR BY GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1881. THE present edition of my "Dictionary of English Poetical Quotations" is a verbatim re-issue, with a few slight corrections, of a volume printed for private distribution in July, 1867, of which the history is given in the original preface hereinafter annexed. That volume was printed in, a conventional form, rather larger than the present, under the auspices of the Philobiblon Society, of which sometime previously I had the honour of being elected a member. The edition consisted of 500 copies, a number which seemed to me sufficiently large for its object; but these were speedily dispersed among literary and social friends, an extra demand for the book having been created by an elaborate and complimentary review of it in the Times, January 7th, 1868, from which review, braving the charge of egotism, I indulge in quoting the subjoined extracts. Out of the said 500 copies, printed nearly fourteen years ago, it is somewhat remarkable that only four should have turned up at public auctions, three of which sold for 5 guineas each, and the fourth for £4 14s. 6d.; this last at the sale of the late Mr. De Lane's library, in November, 1878. As applications for the book continue to be made, many of them with considerable earnestness, 266194 |