comedy and the like

The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – 1716

A rare item by Daniel Defoe. The scarce “enlarged” edition printed and sold by James Roberts in 1716.

Small pocket sized 12mo, 12, 26 pages, bound in contemporary calf backed boards, some age and wear but solid and rare in this original state.

First edition thus. After the accession of Hanover Defoe added a new passage of 49 lines satirizing the English temper. It was hastily published and contains a number of hasty error which ironically confirm its pedigree

A True-born English-man, satirical poem of length about xenophobia … a few could learn from it today. Dutch born William of Orange has become King of England, and there was much tittle tattle about his lack of Englishness. Defoe, forever a wit, wrote this is support of old William of O, ridiculing the notion of English racial purity. Well the evidence is there.

Defoe … much quoted from his opening rant

“that het’rogeneous thing, an Englishman:
In eager rapes, and furious lust begot
Betwixt a painted Britain and a Scot
Whose gend’ring off-spring quickly learn’d to bow,
And yoke their heifers to the Roman plough:
From whence a mongrel half-bred race there came,
With neither name, nor nation, speech nor fame.
In whose hot veins new mixtures quickly ran,
Infused betwixt a Saxon and a Dane
While their rank daughters, to their parents just,
Receiv’d all nations with promiscuous lust.
This nauseous brood directly did contain
The well-extracted blood of Englishmen.”

Daniel Defoe and his True-born a delicious antiquarian rarity

$340.00

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Plums of Wodehouse (P.G.)

We are not too keen on the Folio Society … sorry about that – they do some great work but its all rather glitzy. We make the exception for Wodehouse who we think would have agreed with our aforementioned remark.

A 2005 edition, it was popular in pristine. All covered in dazzling gold illustrated cloth covered boards. In its slipcase – fine condition.

Plums several times intermingled with short complete ditties. Plums are what one should put to memory and bring out with gusto at any severe dinner party.

“I can’t stand Paris. I hate the place. Full of people talking French, which is a thing I bar. It always seems to me so affected” … sorry again ed.

Wodehouse Plums better than Greengage. .

$25.00

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The Best Of Rumpole – John Mortimer

Described as a “personal choice with a new introduction” by the author … good for him.

Octavo, 275 pages published by BCA in 1993. A very good near fine copy.

The author had been writing for seventeen years before it dawned on his that he needed a “character” like Maigret or Sherlock Holmes and it was out of this thought that Rumpole emerged … thank heavens for that.

Undoubtedly the most likeable Barrister of all time … opinions gladly received at Voyager. Here we have his best work, seemingly, with Rumpole … and the Younger Generation; the Showfolk; the Tap End; the Bubble Reputation; on Trial and our favourite …. The Children of the Devil.

Great night time reading … everyone needs to be Rumpole now and again now where is the claret?

Rumpole – several of his finest.

$30.00

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Larn Yersel’ Geordie [Learn Yourself Geordie – the Language of the North East of England] – Scott Dobson

Not an expensive book but a priceless one! The “go to” reference for the language of Voyager’s birthplace.

Scott Dobson, a well known local identity, starts by making it clear that this is a language not a dialect … almost correct we would say. Geordie’s take many of their unique words and expression from the Viking’s … and maybe one of two of their customs … e.g. “chatting up each others birds”.

Not only will you learn some “Geordie” the book is a very funny piece .. as you would expect if you know any of the natives.

Paperback, 32 pages, with some daft illustrations, ending in a Vocabulary of Geordie Phrases”. Used but pretty good condition. Published in Rothbury, Northumberland in 1986.

Postage will be reduced on final billing for Australian (and Geordie) customers.

Man Up .. Learn some Geordie today!

$20.00

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Cocktail Time – P.G. Wodehouse – First Edition 1958

First Edition 1958 of a sought-after Wodehouse.

Published by Herbert Jenkins, London. Octavo, 222 pages. In the preferred slightly chipped dust jacket all in pretty good condition, albeit some spots to page edges.

Frederick, Fifth Earl of Ickenham has a lot of things on his plate but he gets them (everybody) sorted with much hilarity.

Sought after Wodehouse – First Edition

$60.00

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Doctor in Love – Richard Gordan – First Edition 1957

Anyone who likes Wodehouse will love Richard Gordan and his series of “Doctor” books.

A first edition, published by Michael Joseph, London in 1957 edition, the fifth in the “Doctor” series.

Octavo, 188 pages, in very good condition.

“You can’t go about the country falling in love with girls at your age” … sage advice Grimsdyke gives to his friend Dr Gordon. Another “advisor” observes “the patients don’t like you messing about with their wives unless they know you’ve got one of your own at home”. Taking all this on board matters get complicated and … Dr Gordan finally gets his girl!

The right girls does turn up for Dr Gordan …

$30.00

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The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – 1716

Plums of Wodehouse (P.G.)

The Best Of Rumpole – John Mortimer

Larn Yersel’ Geordie [Learn Yourself Geordie – the Language of the North East of England] – Scott Dobson

Cocktail Time – P.G. Wodehouse – First Edition 1958

Doctor in Love – Richard Gordan – First Edition 1957

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