The Farmer's Boy; A Rural Poem

Robert Bloomfield's The Farmer's Boy was one of the remarkable literary successes of the early nineteenth century. First published in 1800, the poem drew upon Bloomfield's own experience as a farm labourer in rural Suffolk, describing the agricultural year through the changing seasons and portraying the work, landscape and everyday life of the countryside with unusual first-hand knowledge. Its combination of pastoral poetry and authentic rural observation brought Bloomfield considerable contemporary fame and carried the work through numerous editions within only a few years. This sixth edition of 1802 is illustrated with ten attractive wood engravings, including work by John Anderson and Charlton Nesbit, illustrations which have historically, but incorrectly, sometimes been attributed to Thomas Bewick. This copy is particularly distinguished by its unusually elaborate contemporary straight-grain morocco binding. The Farmer's Boy; A Rural Poem, by Robert Bloomfield. The Sixth Edition. Published by Vernon and Hood, and Longman and Rees, London. Sixth edition, 1802. Printed by James Swan, London. An attractive copy, particularly notable for its highly decorative contemporary dark green straight-grain morocco binding. Both boards are elaborately decorated in gilt with repeated oak-leaf and acorn tools within a broad scrolling foliate border, the flower-heads picked out in red. The spine, originally green, has faded to tan and has raised bands. Some rubbing to the joints and slight bumping to the extremities. The inner boards have broad green morocco turn-ins surrounding pale green paper doublures. The front inner hinge is exposed and somewhat weakened, although the binding remains secure. Binder unidentified. The first two free endpapers have previous owner's additions, including a neatly scripted account of the poet's life and the history of the work. Interestingly, this repeats the traditional attribution of the woodcuts to Bewick, an attribution now considered incorrect. Also laid in is a Times Weekly article dated 16 August 1934 concerning nature in the City of London and making reference to Robert Bloomfield and The Farmer's Boy. The book is illustrated with ten attractive wood engravings, including the frontispiece, which has an old repair securing it to the text block. The text pages are overall bright and clean, with occasional scattered spotting and light age-related marks. A very attractive copy of this popular early nineteenth-century rural poem, considerably enhanced by its unusual and highly decorative contemporary binding. Text in English. xxxii + 128pp + 10 wood engravings (some within the text). Dimensions: approximately 155mm high x 100mm wide x 18mm deep. Weight: approximately 212g (unpacked). …