The Oeconomy of Human Life.

London: Printed by M.. Cooper,, 1751 [1750]. True first edition of "the most frequently printed work of the entire eighteenth century" (ODNB), Dodsley's collection of popular aphorisms presenting itself as the manuscript of an ancient Brahmin. "Perhaps no book published in the eighteenth century was issued in more separate printings than Robert Dodsley's Oeconomy of Human Life. Although it was not published until 1750, by the end of the century about two hundred editions appeared, including forty-eight American editions as well as translations into Latin, Hebrew, Russian, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Danish. In addition there were a host of imitations and parodies, separately printed and in newspapers and magazines. By contrast, works such as Gulliver's Travels, Robinson Crusoe, and Gray's Elegy seem like publishing failures" (Eddy, p. 460). The first edition was published in November 1750, with the title post-dated 1751. Confusingly, some of the English and Irish editions published soon afterwards were dated 1750. Eddy, in his bibliographical study, identifies this as the first, and also identifies a new edition which is a line for line resetting, distinguishable chiefly through its press figures, here with the correct first edition ix-3, xiv-4, xviii-4, and so on. This edition can be assigned priority as the type and ornaments match those published by Dodsley himself, and as it was the edition deposited in the copyright libraries. Octavo (174 x 107 mm). Contemporary sprinkled calf. Engraved frontispiece. 19th-century ownership signature of Emily E. Beechey (1838-1919) to front pastedown, above crossed-through note apparently of "Worsley Library"; her father was vicar of St Mark's, Worsley, Lancashire, and the library was situated at nearby Barton-upon-Irwell. Early pen trial to title page. Light rubbing and tiny chip at head of front joint, contents fresh; an excellent copy. Donald D. Eddy, "Dodsley's 'Oeconomy of Human Life', 1750-1751", in Modern Philology, Vol. 85, No. 4, 1988.