A tale of a tub

Octavo, (6) ff., 322 pp.

Red morocco, triple gilt fillet around the boards, spine with raised bands and gilt decoration, gilt fillets on edges, decorative roll on inside borders, gilt edges. Binding signed F. Bedford.

187 x 112 mm.

Swift, J. A Tale of a Tub. Written for the Universal Improvement of Mankind. To which is added, an account of a battle between the Ancient and Modern Books in St. James’ Library.

London, John Nutt. 1704.

First edition, second issue (with the word "Ulterinus" omitted on page 320) of the first major work by J. Swift.

Halkett-Laing, VI, 4; Lowndes, III, 2558; Teerink, 217; Swift Catalog Cambridge, 1945, No. 3.

Complete with the rare first leaf printed before the title page.

“Partly written at Kilroot, 1695-6, completed at Sir William Temple’s house, Surrey 1696-97. It is certain that Swift fully indulged his taste for deliberate mystification in publishing this brilliant but dangerous allegory. Despite his anonymity, he was immediately recognized as the author…”

A Tale of a Tub was the first major work written by Swift, arguably his most difficult satire and perhaps his most masterful. Composed between 1694 and 1697, it was eventually published in 1704. It was long regarded as a satire on religion.

The "tale" presents a consistent satire of religious excess, while the digressions are a series of parodies of contemporary writing in literature, politics, theology, and medicine.

Between 1688 and 1705, England was politically unstable. Although Swift was a Whig for much of this period, he was most closely allied with the Ancients, and was politically active in the service of the Church. He claims, both in "The Apology for the &c." and in a reference in Book I of Gulliver's Travels, to have written the Tale to defend the crown from the troubles caused by the monsters besetting it. These monsters were numerous. At this time, political clubs and societies were proliferating. The print revolution had meant that people were gathering under dozens of banners, and political and religious sentiments previously unspoken were now rallying supporters. As the general dissenting position became the wealthy one, and as Parliament increasingly held power, historically novel degrees of freedom had brought a historically unstable balance of change and stability.

The Tale was originally published in 1704. Swift had previously used Benjamin Tooke when publishing for Sir William Temple. He would use Tooke for both the fifth edition of the Tale (1710) and later works. Tooke's successor, Benjamin Motte, published Swift's Gulliver's Travels. This change of printer is just one of the things that led to debate over the authorship of the work.

The first, second, and third editions of the Tale appeared in 1704; the fifth edition came out in 1710. In "The Apology for the &c.", Swift indicates that he originally gave his publisher a preliminary copy of the work, while he kept a blotted copy in his own hand and lent other copies, including one to Thomas Swift, Jonathan's "parson cousin." As a result, the first edition appeared with many errors. The second edition was a resetting of the type. The third edition was a reprint of the second, with corrections, and the fourth edition contained corrections of the third.

The work appeared anonymously in 1704. It was Swift's habit to publish anonymously throughout his career, partly as a way of protecting his career, and partly to protect himself. As a struggling churchman, Swift needed the support of nobles to make a living. Additionally, nobles were still responsible for Church affairs in the House of Lords, so his political effectiveness in church affairs depended upon the lords.

The Tale was immediately popular and controversial.

Stylistically and in sentiment, the Tale is undeniably Swift's.

Robert Hendrickson notes in his book British Literary Anecdotes that "Swift was always partial to his strikingly original The Tale of a Tub (1704). On reading the work again in later years, he exclaimed 'Good God! What a genius I had when I wrote that book!'"

Very beautiful copy bound in an elegant red morocco by F. Bedford from the library ofGeorge Clinton Fairchild Williamswith ex-libris.