Notes on Variants
In the following survey the number of copies examined, while
adequate for illustration, is quite inadequate for bibliographical purposes.
Very likely if, as intended, this review prompts further inquiry, other
impressions (or whatever one chooses to call them) will be found
intervening between those now identified and, among those described, some
few may be designated by a term other than the one here assigned.
A] Bowen, Essex. A Statement of Facts.
1792.
- 1 (c). Press figures: xiii-3 2-3 15-2 18-3 31-1 34-1 47-1 50-3
58—
- 2 (d). As for 1 except that figures different position pages xiii, 15,
no figure page 34, figure 2 pages 47, 58. In both, G2 and I2
unsigned.
B] Burke, Edmund. Letter on His Pension. 1796.
('Edition' only on half-title)
- 1 (c). No figures. Erratum page 80.
- 2 (d). Erratum removed, text corrected.
- 3 (e). Only variant on half-title.
- 4 (c). Page 7, line 6 'public' now reads 'publick'. Seven other
alterations.
- 5-12 (e). Only variant on half-title.
- 13 (d). Page 18, line 15 word now hyphenated 'contra-indicants'.
One other alteration.
- 14 (e). Only variant on half-title.
C] Burke, Edmund. Two Letters on the Proposals for
Peace. 1796. ('Edition' only on half-title)
- 1 (c). No figures. Three errata p. iv. Cancel I3 set in
quadruplicate.
- 2-4 (f). Variant states, still exhibiting errata and the cancel in one
or another setting.
- 5 (d). Still with errata and cancel but 120 figure 9, presumably
denoting reimpression in one or more gatherings.
- 6 (c). Figures: 68-5 80-2 88-4 96-1 104-6 106-3 120-9 124-8.
Errata corrected; I3 integral.
- 7-12 (-). Complications impossible to describe here. See
forthcoming bibliography.
D] Cumberland, Richard. The Box-Lobby
Challenge.
[1794]
- 1 (c). No figures. Page 59 unnumbered; 20, 58 no catchwords;
headlines incorrectly pointed throughout; 24 wrong headline; 59 line 43
reads 'pirit' for 'spirit'.
- 2-5 (e). Only variant on title. All errors uncorrected.
E] Erskine, Thomas. A View of the Present War with
France. 1797.
- To facilitate reference a rule indicates a distinct interruption in the
printing. Within each sequence it will be noted that, as presswork
continues, succeeding variants gradually become indistinguishable.
- 1 (c). Figures: 2-5 14-5 30-3 37-1 45-1 52-4 60-1 66-1 76-4 84-1
90-4 103-1 112-5 114-1 124-3 133-2 139-2. Paper white or
bluish rough wove, dated 1796. Page 138 below text two errata, both
uncorrected. Note; MH Law copy has gatherings C-D figured 10-1, 23-3,
a combination related to 'Third Edition'.
- 2 (e). Only variant on title. Errata still listed and uncorrected.
Note: except for prelims NN copy (CK p.v.66) is of 'Third Edition'
impression.
- ------------
- 3 (a). Figures: 7-1 10-2 23-3 28-5 40-1 48-4 50-2 64-4
66&c. as for 1. Titled 'Third' but actually second
edition:
gatherings K-T apparently same impression; A, C-D, F
reimpressed; E, G-I and pages 3-8 of B reset. Paper as for 1-2. Page 61
misnumbered 91. Errata corrected and list removed.
- 4-5 (e). Only variant on title.
- ------------
- 6 (a). Figures: 7-1 10-2 23-3 28-5 40-2 48-4 50-5 64-4 [66-114 no
figures] 124-3 133-2 139-1. Titled 'Sixth' but actually third
edition: gatherings B-E, G, I, R-S apparently same impression;
A, F, H, T reimpressed; K-Q reset. Paper bluish smooth
wove
dated 1796.
- 7 (d). Figures as for 6 except 10-1. Two revisions only, both in
F gathering page 35. Line 1 'The expression of this' now reads 'The same'
and line 7 omits 'without his . . . mediation'.
- 8 (d). Other than title only variant, figure removed from page
124.
- 9 (d). Other than title only variant, dropped colon after catchword
page 9.
- 10-11 (e). Only variant on title.
- ------------
- 12 (c). Figures: 7-5 10-2 23-1 28-3 40-5 48-4 50-1 64-4 126-3
133-2 139-1. Titled 'Twelfth' edition; presumably 7th
impression 3d edition; demonstrably 2d impression 3d edition, as attested
by paper now of white rough wove dated 1794 with initials TE. Gatherings
C, G, I-Q, S-T same figures but apparently, as judged by paper, of an
interrupted impression; A, B, D-F, H,
R reimpressed. Two revisions only: gathering B, page 3 line 8, omits 'and
identified'; gathering F, page 35 line 21 omits 'brought from Versailles,
and'. 13(d). Other than title only variant page 35 line 22 'and' now reads
'but' M. Chauvelin. Last revision noted in this book.
- 14-15 (f). From 3 to this point gathering I apparently recurrent
impression (64-4) with 61 misnumbered 91. Here in copies examined mixed
sheets with correction entered not in 15th but in 14th 'edition'.
- 16(e). Only variant on title.
- 17 (d). Other than title only variants 139-4 and
140 additional advt. for Orme's Practical
Digest.
- 18 (d). Paper as for 12 mixed with blue wove dated 1796.
139-5.
- 19-21 (e). Only variant on title.
- ------------
- 22 (c). Figures: 7-2 10-2 23-1 28-3 40-1 48-4 50-1 64-3 126-3
133-2 139-1 This 'Twenty-Second' edition presumably 13th
impression, demonstrably 3d impression 3d edition. Presswork interrupted
for 1796 blue wove paper; B, F, I, T gatherings reimpressed.
- 23-24 (e). Only variant on title. ICJ copy 24 has gathering E from
25.
- 25 (d). Other than title 28-4 64-4.
- ------------
- 32 (c). Figures: 7-1 10-1 23-1 28-3 40-4 48-4 50-1 64-3 122-5
133-5 139-3 This 'Thirty-Second' edition presumably 17th
impression, demonstrably 4th impression 3d edition. Now on bluish wove
dated 1795.
- 33 (e). Only variant on title.
- ------------
- 26-31, 34-35 (a). Some recognized and all presumed to be of the
91 page 12mo. 'cheap edition' to which Gifford refers, all perhaps again
run off standing type and therefore constituting a fourth edition. As
compared with the 8vo., listed at 3s, the 12mo. sold for
6d (Monthly Magazine, March 1797, p.
229).
-
Note: In 8vo. 'editions' advt leaf
139-40
present only in certain copies of 4, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20-23, 32; figure on
139 therefore presumed for the others.
F] Gunning, Susannah. A Letter to the Duke of
Argyll. 1791.
| 1 (c). |
8-4 |
14-2 |
18-6 |
24-6 |
29-1 |
40-1 |
42-6 |
52-1 |
59-4 |
77-6 |
78-4 |
88-3 |
90-1 |
98-4 |
| 2 (d). |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
52-2 |
59-6 |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
|
or
|
" |
-- |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
88-4 |
" |
" |
| 3 (d). |
9-1 |
16-6 |
-- |
22-6 |
-- |
" |
46-6 |
" |
-- |
-- |
" |
88-3 |
" |
" |
|
or
|
10-1 |
" |
-- |
" |
-- |
" |
" |
" |
59-4 |
77-6 |
" |
" |
" |
" |
| 4 (d). |
" |
16-4 |
-- |
" |
25-1 |
40-2 |
46-5 |
52-2 |
" |
77-2 |
" |
" |
" |
" |
| 1. |
108-- |
112-3 |
'119'-7 |
126-2 |
132-6 |
142-7 |
146-2 |
| 2. |
-- |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
" |
|
or
|
-- |
" |
" |
" |
132-2 |
" |
" |
| 3. |
-- |
" |
-- |
" |
" |
" |
" |
|
or
|
108-3 |
" |
-- |
" |
" |
" |
" |
| 4. |
-- |
" |
-- |
" |
132-6 |
" |
" |
- Much of this seems to be continuous presswork, some of it,
apparently, engaged 'round the clock. Note defects retained throughout (3
errata p. 148, battered page no. 27, 119 erroneous catchword
'hour', 120-121 misnumbered 119-120); alterations confined to figures;
superfluous figures within same forme (C[o] 24 and 29, H[o] 108 and 112);
temporary relief provided for men originally assigned certain formes
(recurrent figures pages 59, 88, 132); numerous shifts in presswork even
within same 'edition'.
G] Inchbald, Elizabeth. Lover's Vows.
1798.
- 1 (c). No figures. Page 45 line 24 of poem 'littleready'.
- 2 (d). Other than title only variant separation of two
words.
- 3-7 (e). Only variant on title.
H] Inchbald, Elizabeth. Wives as They Were.
1797.
- 1 (c). Figures: 8-1 12-8 24-9 32-5 36-9 47-1 56-8 63-7 69-5 79-6
86-8 95-9
- 2 (d). Other than title only variant 56-9. (No copy reported;
presumed from variation in 3.)
- 3-6 (e). Only variant on title.
I] Lewis, Matthew G. The East Indian.
1800.
- 1 (c). Figures: 5-6 6-7 12-8 22-9 26-9 39-6 47-7 53-9 63-6 70-5
80-7 82-5
- 2 (d). Other than title only variant 22-6.
- 3 (d). Other than title variants 5-5 22-9. (No copy reported;
presumed from variation in 4.)
- 4 (e). Only variant on title.
J] Macpherson, James. A Short History of the
Opposition. 1779.
- 1 (c). iii-2 8-2 13-2 21-2 28-6 40-5 46-3 52-6. 23
catchword 'absentees'
- 2 (c). iii-8 8-3 13-4 21-2 28-4 40-3 46-3 52-2. 23
catchword 'absentees,'
- 3 (c). iii-8 8-6 13-6 21-5 28-5 40-4 46-5
52-6.
- 4-6 (e). Only variant on title. In all 'editions' iv misnumbered
vi.
K] Mason, William. An Heroic Epistle to Sir William
Chambers. 1773. (Gaskell 13)
- 1 (c). No figures.
- 2 (a). Except for prelims, entire edition reset, and of different
collation.
- 3 (e). Only variant on title.
- 4 (d). Other than title, dedication line 4 'diclined'
corrected.
- 5-9 (e). Only variant on title.
- 10 (d). Other than title, note to verse 72, line 9, previously 'in
extensive' now 'on extensive'.
- 11 (d). Other than title, note to verse 84, line 1, 'Bagshot!' now
reads 'Bagshot.'; verse 108 'And o'er' now 'Ando'er'.
- 12 (a). Reset.
L] Mason, William. An Heroic Postscript to the
Public. 1774. (Gaskell 14)
- 1 (c). No figures. Line 67 'number'
- 2-4 (e). Only variant on title. Presumably 5-6, not seen, also
invariant.
- 7 (d). Line 67 'numbers'
- 8 (d). Several alterations page 15, list of books
printed
for Almon. In his commentary on this work Dr Gaskell notes the
reimpression of the three poems listed here and several others.
M] Mason, William. Ode to Mr. Pinchbeck. 1776.
(Gaskell 17)
- 1 (c). Figures: 3-3 6-2 10-3
- 2 (e). Only variant on title. Presumably 3-4, not seen, also
invariant.
- 5 (c). 3-4 6-4 10-4
N] O'Bryen, Denis. A Defence of the Earl of
Shelburne. 1782.
- 1 (c). No figures.
- 2 (c). Sigs in different positions, some lines reset, C2 and E2
starred.
- 3-6 (e). Apparently variant only on title.
- 7 (a). C2 and E2 still starred, but 41-53, 57-64, 73-96 reset.
Catchword 41 'maxime', 75 'is'.
- 8-9 (e). Apparently variant only on title.
O] Shebbeare, John. A Third Letter to the People of
England. 1756.
- 1 (c). No figures. 2 errata page 60. 41, line 1 reads
'Loyalty'.
- 2 (d). Other than title 41 now reads 'Disloyalty'. This may have
been a compositor's stunt, blacked out in the two copies I have seen, and
corrected in later editions.
P] Shebbeare, John. A Fifth Letter to the People of
England. 1757.
- 1 (c). No figures. 6 errata verso of half-title.
- 2 (e). Only variant on title.
Q] Sheridan, R. B. The Critic. 1781. ('Edition' only
on half-title)
- 1 (c). Figures: 34-3 84-3 94-2
- 2 (e). Only variant on half-title.
- 3 (c). 2-3 13-1 34-3 52-3 62-6 84-3 94-2 and some copies 66-3
72-1. Gathering B reset.
- 4 (d). 15-1 66-3 72-1 84-3 94-2. As figures indicate, only B and
E gatherings reimpressed.
- 5 (e). Not seen, presumably invariant.
- 6 (d). Other than variant half-title 10-4 12-2, and page 5
unnumbered. This, the B gathering, reset.
-
Note: For description of a counterfeit, with figures
corresponding to 1-2, see the Book Collector, V (1956),
172-73.
R] Sheridan, R. B. The Rivals. 1775.
- 1 (c). Figures: 8-1 15-3 21-5 31-6 38-1 47-3 54-3 60-6 72-4 80-8
96-2 Page a4r 2 errata. Leaf F2 starred, F2-3 a cancel.
1st
state: 100-3 and catchword EPI-. 2d state: 100 unfigured,
catchword removed, and FINIS entered below text. In all copies Epilogue
entered on preliminary leaf a3. In MB (A.E. Newton) copy, however, 1st
state reading has prompted someone to supply
at the end another Epilogue from Cumberland's The West
Indian (1771).
- 2 (f). Retains errata list and cancel; agrees otherwise with 2d
state.
S] Tickell, Richard. Anticipation. 1778.
- 1 (c). No figures. Page 71, line 23 'D a
Capo'.
- 2 (d). Other than title only variant observed 'Da
Capo'.
- 3 (a). Some of A (iii-iv), C (10, 12-16) and all of
D-E
reset.
- 4 (e). Only variant on title.
- 5 (d). Other than title only variant p. 73, line 17, 'that the' now
'that THOMAS', a variation which alters catchword from 'ditor' to
'most'.
- 6 (d). Other than title only variant p. 11 catchword, previously
'tion', now incorrectly 'Tion'.
- 7 (d). Three revisions pp. 31, 71, 50, the last, at line 26, altering
'Tussnell' to 'T-ss-n-ll'.
- 8-9 (e). Only variant on title.
- 10 (e). Other than new 'edition' label, 9-hyphen word on title
altered to 7 hyphens.
-
Note: All 74 p. 'editions'. There also exist two
variant
'second editions', a 67 p. version which, as noted in L.H. Butterfield's
edition, was printed for Becket in 1778, and, as observed at Harvard, a 51
p. version printed for Bladon in 1779.
T] Wraxall, Sir N. W. A Short Review of the Political
State
of Great-Britain. 1787.
- 1 (c). No figures. 72 pages (title included in count).
- 2 (a). Reset, variant collation. 70 pages (title excluded in count).
G2 signed G3, I2 unsigned. Catchwords 44 'publi', 46 'ages'.
- 3 (e). Variant only on title.
- 4 (d). Other than title, I2 signed, 44 'public', 46 'ages,'.
- 5 (e). Variant only on title.
- 6 (b). 'Sixth Edition, With Additions'. 86 pages (title excluded in
count), with additional blank leaf. Identical setting except for supplemental
text. G2 still signed G3. Catchword p. 9 dropped.
- 7 (d). Other than title, catchwords p. 24 'relaxation,', 75 dropped
comma.
