SAINTE-MARTHE (Scévole de): Paedotrophia; Or, the Art of Nursing and Rearing Children. A Poem, in Three Books. Translated from the Latin of Scevole de St. Marthe. With Medical and Historical Notes; with the Life of the Author, from the French of Michel and Niceron; his Epitaph; his Dedication of this Poem to Henry III. of France; and the Epigram written on the visit he had the Honour to receive from Charles I. of England, when Prince of Wales. By H. W. Tytler, M. D. Translator of Callimachus, and Fellow of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. , London: Printed, for the Author, By John Nichols...; And sold by J. Debrett...; J. Murray and S. Highley..., 1797

FIRST EDITION. 8vo, 210 x 125 mms., pp. [iv], v - cxci [cxcii blank], 224, engraved frontispiece (by Isaac Taylor), recently rebound in quarter antique-style calf, morocco label, marbled boards; corner torn (without loss) from pp. 219 - 220, but a very good copy. Scevole de Sainte-Marthe (1536 - 1623), a lawyer and poet, first published this in 1584; it was translated and reprinted many times during the next 250 years. Tytler (1753/3 - 1808), a physician and poet as well, took Pope as his model for this translation, and the notes are sufficiently scholarly and medical to validate his assessment of the work. In his preface, he refers to the "meanness of the former version of this poem," which was "full of low disgusting phrases...." This "indelicate" language would have discouraged well-bred ladies from making use of the sound advice in the work. His argument was presumably convincing, as almost 300 people subscribed for copies, including Anna Laetita Barbauld, William Buchan, Alexander Gerard, Patrick Heron, M. P., John Pinkerton, Sir John Sinclair, M. P., as well as a number of other doctors and various publishers. Blake p. 398; Waller 8402. (Book ref. 6929 )  £ 650.00

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