Description: Two volumes, collated 4to, usually described as 12mo, 16.5 x 10.5 cm each, uniformly bound in full calf, bordered in gilt with a triple-fillet over blind dentelle, flat spine ornamented in gilt with two crimson labels, gilt dentelle inside, blue marbled endpapers with previous owner bookplate to front pastedown in each vol.: “W. E. A. MACDONNELL. | NEW HALL | Co. of Clare.”, and a ticket in a blue border “162”. Illustrated by T. Bewick after J. Thurston with frontispiece portrait of Robert Burns, numerous woodcut endpieces and a total of 14 full-page woodcut vignettes throughout.

Title-page: THE | POETICAL WORKS | OF | ROBERT BURNS; | WITH HIS LIFE | ORNAMENTED WITH | ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD BY MR. BEWICK | FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS BY MR. THURSTON. | — | IN TWO VOLUMES. | VOL I. (VOL. II.) | — | ALNWICK: | Printed by William Davison. | SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND | AND IRELAND. | – | 1808. ||

Vol. 1: Collation: π³ (1^st blank, engraved frontispiece portrait of R. Burns, t.p.), a² b-e⁴, A-Z⁴, 2A-2E⁴ (2E)⁴ (last two blank); total 137 leaves, numerous endpieces and 9 woodcut plates by Thomas Bewick after John Thurston within collation. Pagination: [2 blank] [i-v] 6 (i.e. vi) xlii [43-45] 46-268 (265-268 marked 263–266, respectively, [4 blank]; total 274 pages, of which 6 blank (pagination by Hugo: xlii, 297, 26), full-page plates opposite to pp. 73, 82, 106, 127, 141, 178, 192, 213, 219.

Vol. 2: Collation: π⁵ (1^st blank, t.p., 3 leaves of contents), A-B4 (C omitted) D-Z⁴, 2A-2G⁴ (2H omitted) 2I² 2K-2M⁴ 2N¹ χ²; total 138 leaves, numerous endpieces and 6 woodcut plates by Thomas Bewick after John Thurston within collation. Pagination: [2 blank] [i-iii] iv-xi (v marked vii, viii marked ix), 12-270 (16 marked 17, 76 marked 67, 84 marked 86, 96 marked 90, 112 marked 110, 203-207 marked 205-209, 220-224 marked 222-226), [4 blank]; total 276 pages, of which 6 blank (pagination by Hugo: xii, 320), full-page plates opposite to pp. 11, 40, 70, 191, 221.

Catalogue raisonné: Hugo (1866): № 230, v. 1, p. 92-93; according to Hugo, the year 1808 was not stated, the number of pages in each volume is different to my copy.

Provenance: Colonel William Edward Armstrong-Macdonnell (Irish, 1858 – 1883) of New Hall, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland (presumed).

Contributors:

Robert Burns (Scottish, 1759 – 1796) – author.

Thomas Bewick (British, 1753 – 1828) – engraver.

John Thurston (British, 1774 – 1822) – artist.

William Davison (British, 1781 – 1858) – printer/publisher.