John. A Dissertation on the Welsh Language, pointing out it's [sic] antiquity, copiousness, grammatical perfection, with Remarks on it's Poetry; and other Articles not foreign to the Subject.

by WALTERS

£500 · Offered by Henry Sotheran Ltd

The First Book printed in Glamorganshire WALTERS, John. A Dissertation on the Welsh Language, pointing out it's [sic] antiquity, copiousness, grammatical perfection, with Remarks on it's Poetry; and other Articles not foreign to the Subject. Cowbridge: Printed for the Author, by R. and D. Thomas. 1771. 8vo. Entirely uncut in late 19th-century blue half-morocco over marbled boards by Henry Blackwell, spine lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers; pp. 70; binding a little rubbed, front hinge re-inforced, title-page with missing portion of upper outer corner, p. 53 with small paper-flaw; otherwise a very attractive copy with the Welsh bookplate of Henry Blackwell inside front cover. First edition. Walters is the author of the magisterial and still relevant Dictionary of the Welsh Language (1770-1794). Walters needed a printer nearby and Rhys Thomas moved to Cowbridge to establish the first press in Glamorganshire, and this is its first product. Provenance : Henry Blackwell (1851-1928) left Britain for New York in 1877 and ran a large bindery. "Blackwell played a prominent part in the Welsh-American life of his adopted country. He was a life-member of the S. Davids Society of the State of New York, a life-member of the Virginia Historical Society, one of the founders of the Ex-Libris Society, Washington, a vice-president and governor of the American Society, 1912, a member of the Welsh Society of Philadelphia, and a member of a committee formed in 1890 to found a chair of Celtic at M

• Binding: Hardcover

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