A Classical Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue
by Francis Grose
(S. Hooper - Second Edition, 1788)
Asking Price: £114.95 (excl. post & packing)
Thank you for your interest but this book has now been sold
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John Camden Hotten, a leading 19th Century authority on English slang passed judgment on Grose's original work by writing. "It was Grose who in 1785 collected the scattered glossaries of cant and secret words and slang terms used in his own day. The indelicacy and extreme vulgarity of the work renders it unfit for ordinary use, still it must be admitted that it is by far the most important work which has ever appeared on street or popular language; indeed, from its pages every succeeding work has.drawn its contents." (Source: Partridge - "A Dictionary Of Slang and Unconventional English").
First published in 1785, Grose was one of the first lexicographers to collect slang words from all corners of society - not just from the professional underworld of pickpockets and thieves. Grose and his assistant, Tom Cocking, gathered terms for the book by taking midnight walks through London, noting the terms used in slums, drinking dens and dockyards. Reissued in 1788 with some of the more indelicate definitions softened this work was recognised throughout the 19th century as one of the most important collections of slang in the English language. To this day, "A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" strongly influences dictionaries of this type. (Source: partly drawn from the British Library web site).
This excellent copy of Grose's enlarged and corrected second edition has been expertly repaired and rebound in the original leather boards and marbled end-papers with a contemporary-style 5 band spine.
Book condition - Good: Hardback, pages not numbered. Securely rebound with all pages present, original gilt border decoration still present on front and rear boards, contemporary and highly decorative owner's initials on the front free end-paper, pages for letters A to M significantly browned with some staining, pages for letters N to Z are significantly brighter though still moderately spotted, a number of small stamps indicating the book was once owned by the Cape Town Littledale Trust are found on a few pages at bottom edge, dealer's price and previous owners notations on front end-papers and title page, one inch closed tear to front free endpaper bottom edge.
The front pages and marbled end-paper have been expertly repaired to remedy a small hole (approx one inch square) which appears to have been made when a previous ownership stamp or inscription was removed.
Overall an excellent copy of this exceptionally hard to find, ground-breaking work on the English language.
Total weight with heavy duty cardboard packaging 685g. Packing and postage charges include signed for express delivery and insurance.
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