History of Johnny Quae Genus, The

London: R. Ackermann, 1822. The English Gil Blas
Illustrated By Rowlandson

[ROWLANDSON, Thomas, artist]. [COMBE, William]. The History of Johnny Quae Genus. The Little Foundling of the Late Doctor Syntax: A Poem, by the Author of The Three Tours. London: R. Ackermann, 1822.

First edition. Octavo. [4], 259 [i.e. 267], [1] pp. Twenty-four hand-colored aquatints.

Early-to-mid nineteenth century full tree calf, neatly rebacked with the original spine laid down. Some offsetting from the plates to the text, otherwise a fine copy. Bookplate of Harry H. Blum.

"In 1822 Ackermann produced The History of Johnny Quae Genus, the little Foundling of the late Fr. Syntax. The text by Combe was illustrated with twenty-four coloured aquatints by Rowlandson. The introductions gives the best clue to the nature of the contents: 'The Favor which has been bestowed on the different tours of Dr. Syntax has encouraged the writer of them to give a 'History of the Foundling,' who has been thought an interesting object in the latter of these volumes, and it is written in the same style and manner with a view to connect it with them. This child of chance, it is presumed, is led througha track of life not unsuited to the peculiarity of his conditoin and character, while its varieties, as in the former works, are represented by the pencil of Mr. Rowlandson with its characteristic felicity. The idea of an English Gil Blas predominated through the while of the volume" (Hardie).

Harry H. Blum was the owner of Blum's Vogue, an upscale woman's store on S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago with four other locations, and noted book enthusiast whose collection was sold at Sotheby's in 1982.

Prideaux, p. 133, 332. Hardie p. 174. Abbey, Life, 268, Tooley, 413.