(PROVENANCE - 3RD BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, MORE! WORKS OF VIRGIL) Publii Virgilii Maronis Bucolica, Georgica, et Aeneis. Virgil (Virgilii)

HISTORIC & IMPORTANT PROVENANCE: HENRY PELHAM, 3rd Prime Minister of England (served 1743-1754) Henry Pelham (September 1694 - March 1754) was a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1743 until his death in 1754. He was the younger brother of Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who served in Pelham's government and succeeded him as prime minister. Pelham is generally considered to have been Britain's third prime minister, after Robert Walpole and the Earl of Wilmington. He was a heavily influential prime minister and politically savvy. His major accomplishments were demobilizing the armed forces, reducing government spending from £12 million to £7 million, refinancing the national debt dropping the interest from 4% to 3 and, in 1752, reducing the land tax from four shillings to two shillings in the pound; that is, from 20% to 10%. HENRY FIENNES PELHAM-CLINTON, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne and Knight of the Garter (1720 - 1794) was the nephew of England's third and fourth prime minister and inheritor of their estates. Lord Lincoln and his brother Henry Pelham were the two most powerful men in England, and both would serve as Prime Minister. He inherited this book from Prime Minister Henry Pelham (who boldly signed his name on the FFEP with much fanfare). Through his uncles' connections and direct political powers, he was given a place at court and appointed to many prominent positions, including being made Knight of the Garter (one of the highest honors in the UK) in 1752. Henry Fiennes Pelham-Clinton's distinct armorial crest prominently adorns each cover. The Duke is mainly known today as the creator of Clumber Park, his country seat in Nottinghamshire, and the dog breed the Clumber Spaniel, named after the estate. ABOUT THE BOOK Published in 1701 in London by Jacob Tonson. In Latin. Rebound mid-18th century in heraldic full calf fine binding: covers stamped in gold with the British armorial coat of arms of Henry Fiennes Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle (1720 - 1794); covers with double fillet gilt paneling and corner gilt tooled fleurons. Spine rebacked in 20th century calf with six raised spine bands; ruled in gilt; all edges speckled. Large quarto, 11.5" x 9" [2] 686. Engraved frontispiece. Large chapter woodcut scroll headpieces of the Royal Coat of Arms of England and tail pieces featuring a mirror image scene of a Pegasus and floral motif. RECENT PROVENANCE: From the Virgil Collection of Craig Kallendorf (1954 - 2023), who owned the largest private collection of antiquarian Virgil works (1,150 editions, not including Incunable books) in the world. Only a handful of prominent institutions like the British Library had larger collections. He worked closely with Princeton University to assemble its Junius Spencer Morgan Virgil collection. CONDITION REPORT: GOOD The FFEP has the faded 18th century ink inscription "Henry Pelham/his book/" prominently written in large font with three, large exaggerated vertical snakelike lines below. There is also the ex libris sticker of Craig Kallendorf. Square spine, firm hinges and joints, tight binding. Heavily rubbed boards and extremities with pitting, cracking, scratches and surface level leather loss in multiple areas. Spine rebacked. Darkened page edges. Top edge blackened as well as some perimeter board leather. Water dampening stains at foot of preliminaries. Grubby endpapers. Offsetting from frontispiece onto title page leaf and following leaf. Multiple areas with worming (particularly the final quartile) or smudges to margins. Text block bright and clean in some areas and toned, often in a non-uniform splotchy pattern, in most areas. One of the refreshed rear blank leaves with a corner missing. Overall, an uncommon copy of a 1701 edition of Virgil's works with impressive provenance from prominent and powerful members of 18th century British society, including Henry Pelham, England's third prime minister.