Description
[005201] Thelwall, John (Ed); Lamb, Charles and Lamb, Mary. The Poetical Recreations of the Champion, and His Literary Correspondents; with a Selection of Essays, Literary & Critical, Which Have Appeared in the Champion Newspaper. London: The Champion Press By and for John Thelwall, 1822. First Edition. 8vo. Hardback. Good+. [5], vi-viii, [1], 2-242pp, [6]. Contemporary straight grain morocco, raised bands, spine in six panels, title lettered directly in gilt to second panel, place and date to foot, covers with blind double line border, inner edges with gilt roll, dark red endpapers, t.e.g.
Rubbed to extremities, internally lightly browned with occasional light foxing, note in pen to G1, former owner’s name to head of half-title
The Champion was owned by John Thelwall (1764-1834), and following on from his earlier radical past (he was one of the defendants in the 1794 Treason Trials), it supported parliamentary reform, denounced Peterloo, and was sceptical of the Cato Street conspiracy (Wikipedia)
Charles Lamb was an occasional contributor to The Champion, Roff notes that the pieces signed R. et R., ten in number, were by Charles Lamb, and another signed ‘Carlagnulus’, was also by Charles Lamb, with one poem signed ‘M. L.’, presumably by Mary Lamb. With the misprint in the location of Thelwall’s elocution school, ’embowed’ for ’embowered’ and text on page viii, denoting a first issue, with Roff noting that “this leaf, as first printed, seems to have been cut out of most copies, and a leaf containing the correct spelling is inserted on the stub … in the second issue page [viii] is blank”
Roff, pages 144-148
