John Gay — Fables

London, J. Tonson and J. Watts, 1728. Leather. The second edition of John Gay's illustrated collection of fables, an early edition of this renowned collection of tales, bound in contemporary calf. The second edition. Illustrated throughout with Kent and Wotton's engraved vignettes. An early edition of John Gay's renowned and popular collection of fables. This volume includes fables such as 'The Spaniel and the Chameleon', 'The Mother, the Nurse, and the Fairy', 'The Wild Boar and the Ram', 'The Lady and the Wasp', and more.Gay originally wrote fables for Prince William, the Duke of Cumberland, in 1727, and despite writing them for a royal, he wrote about the vanities of court honours.Bound in contemporary full calf, re-backed, with the original spine and calf boards laid down. Bound in contemporary full calf, re-backed, with the original spine and calf boards laid down. Externally, light marks to the boards, slight cracking to the spine, and wear to the extremities. Hinges cracked but remain firm. Ink marks to the front endpapers. Internally firmly bound with bright and generally clean pages with the odd minor spot. Very Good . Ill.: William Kent; J. Wotton. Very Good .