NOSES.

A Treatise on the Custom of Counting Noses.

[London] Printed for M. Smith; and sold by the Booksellers in the Strand, at Temple Bar, Fleet-Street, and Paternoster-Row. 1779. 8vo, 190 x 120 mms., pp. [ii], iv, 34, 19th century half calf, marbled boards, white label on spine; binding a little soiled, but a very good copy. Towards the end of the work, our anonymous author pays tribute to the definition of "nose" in Johnson's Dictionary - "The prominence on the face, which is the organ of scent, and the emunctory of the brain." Yes, that's very clear. More relevantly, the work does seem to have some Johnsonian interest: "After expiating with much pleasantry on the policy of the custom, he concludes with a COMPLIMENT to Dr Johnson, on the clearness of his definition of the nose, which first opened and gave a scope to his comprehension of the subject" (The Weekly Magazine or Edinburgh Amusement, vol. 44, July 7, 1779, pp. 45-6). ESTC N60867 locates only the copy at Dublin City Libraries. Another issue or edition in London has "Printed for G. Kearlsey" in the imprint, with a half-title: ESTC T45808, with copies in BL, Manchester; Huntington, Yale.

John Price Antiquarian BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 10153

Catalogue: Noses

Keywords: noses humour literature