HEATH, William

Life of a Soldier, The

London: William Sams, 1823. Item #02607

Rarely Found in the Original Boards

HEATH, William. The Life of a Soldier. A Narrative and Descriptive Poem. With Eighteen Engravings by William Heath.. London: William Sams, 1823.

First edition. Quarto (10 1/2 x 7 5/8 in; 268 x 195 mm). [8, incl. half-title], 150, [2, adv.] pp. Eighteen hand-colored untitled aquatint engravings.

Original pictorially lithographed boards, rebacked. Joints starting yet firm, boards a little rubbed and marked, still an excellent copy. Chemised in a red cloth jacket within a full red morocco pull-off case.

Published by William Sams, a leading printseller of the period, The Life of a Soldier belongs to the great tradition of early nineteenth-century illustrated verse books, closely allied to the work of Rowlandson and Alken. Copies in original pictorial boards are particularly desirable, as many were later rebound; the survival here of the decorated boards greatly enhances both its visual impact and bibliographical interest.

An engaging and uncommon illustrated book, prized by collectors of Regency satire, military social history, and hand-colored aquatint books.

"Watercolourist and caricaturist William Heath (1795-1840)… worked mostly under the pseudonym of Paul Pry. He called himself 'Portrait and Military painter' and was reputed to be an 'ex-captain of dragoons' but is not recorded in the Army List. Heath began life as a draughtsman and his main claim to fame rests on his having produced the first caricature magazine in Europe, The Glasgow later Northern Looking-Glass, 1825-1826. Although this was a provincial work and without much text, it does pre-date Charles Philipon's similar publication. The height of his popularity fell between the years 1809-34, after which his humour was displaced by that of Robert Seymour and John Doyle" (Houfe, p. 338).

Abbey, Life 361; Tooley 257; Ogilby, British Military Costume Prints, 415; Priddeaux, p. 340.

Price: $1,850.00