[Rarebooks] fs: 1830 Epitaph Writer

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

Booker, Rev. Luke. TRIBUTES TO THE DEAD: consisting of more than two 
hundred Epitaphs, many of them original compositions, suitable for persons 
of all ages and circumstances.

London; J. Hatchard and Son: 1830.

The Reverend Luke Booker, like many of his brethren, was unimpressed by the 
state of epitaph writing in the 19th century. He was so unimpressed by the 
general tenor of most epitaphs, "which excite emotions certainly quite the 
reverse of seriousness", that "to prevent their occurrence in my own 
parish, I requested the different stone-masons always to let me see the 
form of inscription brought to them, before they transferred such form to 
its abiding station on stone... A consequence ensued which I did not 
anticipate, namely, the task of providing epitaphs...". That is what is 
perhaps most interesting about this book -many of the epitaphs were 
actually composed by a single person- the author.

An uncommon work -OCLC lists just 2 copies.

Hardcover. 4.5"x7.75", xviii + 98 pages + 1 leaf of advertisements for the 
publisher's other books; bound in the original decorated boards, with a 
decorative vignette of a willow covered urn on both the cover and title 
page. Light cover soil, a few points of rubbing, etc, along the spine; 
former owner's name on the upper corner of the cover; a little light soil 
on the endpapers. All in all, in superlative condition, in the original 
decorated boards. The paper is quite fresh and white. As sweet a copy of 
this title as you will ever be likely to find anywhere. [00606] $300.00

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