An enquiry into the authenticity of the poems attributed to Thomas Rowley.
And, A letter to the editor of the miscellanies of Thomas Chatterton
8vo. f. [1] (blank), pp. [2], 125 (p. 122 misnumbered 121), [1], f. [1] (blank). Signatures: π1 A-P⁴ Q⁴ (-Q4). Modern boards. Signature of John Buckland on flyleaf. In 1782, spurred by Milles’s imposing fourth edition (see Bib# 4103366/Fr# 418 in this collection), and Jacob Bryant’s Observations upon the Poems of Thomas Rowley, in which the Authenticity of those Poems is Ascertained (1781, see Bib# 712041/Fr# 434), the scholarly and pseudo-scholarly world saw either the need for a negative consensus on the “Rowley” poems forged by Thomas Chatterton, or the opportunity for further mischief. Tyrwhitt, who had already capitulated to his own better judgement in an ‘Appendix’ to the 1778 third edition (‘the poems attributed to Rowley [...] were written, not by any ancient author, but entirely by Thomas Chatterton,’ see Bib# 4103365/Fr# 417 in this collection), confirmed his stance in his ‘A vindication of the appendix to the poems’ (see Bib# 4103383/Fr# 435) while Thomas Warton added corroborative details in the present work. See also ESTC, T32726; R. Alston, A bibliography of the English language from the invention of printing to the year 1800. Leeds, 1973, vol. III, p. 58. Click here to view the Johns Hopkins University catalog record.
Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Fiction, Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.
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What the reading experience may hold
A fuller profile for choosing with more confidence—not just another copy of the preview.
Fiction · Nonfiction
Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.
Catalog signals suggest warfare and conflict. These notes may not be complete; consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.
These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.
Dark tone · Steady pace
Works well for a focused weekend or a few concentrated sittings.
A good fit if…
Readers who want a thoughtful experience and enjoy noticing the connections beneath a book’s surface story.
This book's DNA
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This signal is descriptive, not a rating. It helps compare the kind of reading experience this edition may offer.
Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc
A broad estimate of the book’s emotional rhythm, shown without story events or outcomes.
This visualization is an interpretive estimate based on catalog description, categories, tone, pace, and content signals. It does not describe specific scenes.
A quick reading snapshot
Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.
- ISBN-13
- 978-0-4150-9255-5
- Language
- English
- Edition record
- OL1211190M
A more thoughtful way into this book
This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.
Works well for a focused weekend or a few concentrated sittings.
Begin with its place in Fiction, then notice where the book resists that label.
Read for connection, not completion.
Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.
Three questions to carry with you
- What does the central character want, and what do they misunderstand about that desire?
- Which detail or relationship changes how you interpret the story?
- What feeling or question does the book leave with you after the plot moves on?
Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.
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