Hudibras, In Three Parts; Written in the Time of the Late Wars. In two volumes

London: C Bathurst et al, 1772. Leather. Good. 8.5" by 5". None. Samuel Butler's brilliant satirical epic written and set against the background of the Civil War. Third Edition, 'corrected and amended. With large annotations, and a preface, by Zachary Grey'. With a portrait frontispiece and several plates throughout, some folding. Complete, three parts in two volumes. With armorial bookplates of Maj. General Paget to front pastedowns, and crested bookplates of Ingestre Hall to front free-endpaper. Hudibras is an English mock heroic narrative poem from the 17th century written by Samuel Butler. The work is a satirical polemic upon Roundheads, Puritans, Presbyterians and many of the other factions involved in the English Civil War. The work was begun, according to the title page, during the civil war and published in three parts in 1663, 1664 and 1678, with the first edition encompassing all three parts in 1684. Hudibras was written in an iambic tetrameter in closed couplets, with surprising feminine rhymes. The dramatic meter portends tales of dramatic deeds, but the subject matter and the unusual rhymes undercut its importance. This verse form is now referred to as Hudibrastic. Hudibras was an extremely popular work with pirate copies and a spurious second part being issued before Butler could produce his genuine second part in 1664. The mock heroic epic and its jaunty verse form known as Hudibrastic became the standard of satire for some time after that with at least twenty-seven direct imitations being produced. Fifty years after the last part was written a new edition was published, with illustrations by William Hogarth, who later became one of the foremost artists of the day. The work remained popular for several centuries as a warning against the zealotry during the Civil War period of English history. In full sprinkled calf bindings. Externally rubbed, joints starting, wear to heads and tails of spines. Internally, firmly bound. Lovely and bright and clean with just the odd spot, a spill burn to the title of volume II, continuing through a few pages. Copperplate ink signatures of Edward Paget to titles, and more modern ink signatures to front blanks. Good