[ Printed volume. ] The Spirit of the Doctor; comprising Many Interesting Poems; selected from the original manuscript of the Late Mr. James Watson, Formerly Librarian of the Portico, in Manchester; and commonly called Doctor Watson.

Author: 
'The Late Mr. James Watson, Formerly Librarian of the Portico, in Manchester' [ The Theatre Royal, Manchester ]
Publication details: 
1st part ('The Spirit of the Doctor'): Manchester: Printed for the Editors, by George Cave. 1820. 2nd part ('The Humors of Trim').Printed by J. Phenix, Manchester, in the Year 1820, and First Year of the Reign of His Majesty, King George the Fourth.
£220.00
SKU: 17898

The full title reads: 'The Spirit of the Doctor; comprising Many Interesting Poems; selected from the original manuscript of the Late Mr. James Watson, Formerly Librarian of the Portico, in Manchester; and commonly called Doctor Watson. [Four-line quotation in Latin from Terence.] To which is prefixed A Lithographic Portrait of the Doctor; with a short memoir of his life: And various Anecdotes relative to Him - After, and to which are subjoined The Humors of Trim, [Two-line quotation from Sterne].;151pp [xxxvi + 51 + 64]., 8vo. Lithographic portrait of author as frontispiece. In fair condition, on aged paper, in aged and heavily-worn original brown cloth binding, with remnants of paper label on spine. Ownership inscription, with name deleted, on front free endpaper: ' | Oldfield | Manchester | 1837'. 'A Brief Memoir of the Life of Mr. James Watson, commonly called Doctor Watson' is on pp.xi-xxii, by 'D. W. P. | Hulme, August 1, 1820'. It is followed (pp.xxiv-xxxvi) by 'The Spirit of the Doctor. | Anecdotes, and Bon Mots.' The rest of the volume is a miscellany of prose and verse. The first pp.1-51 continue 'The Spirit of the Doctor', comprising miscellaneous poems. The succeeding pp.1-64 carry 'The Humors of Trim', with separate title-page, stating that they are printed by Phenix. The volume has a decided Manchester theatrical flavour. The poems include 'Written In Walton Church-Yard, on the Grave-Stone of the late John Palmer, who died on the Stage, in Liverpool, while performing the Stranger, August 2, 1798'. 'Manchester-Exchange: Song by Mr. Barnes, at the Theatre-Royal, Manchester, in the course of an Evening's Entertainment, "by desire of the Subscribers to the Exchange," April 21, 1800.' Also 'Occasional Address, Delivered at the Theatre-Royal, Manchester, April 5, 1802, by Mrs. Ward, in the character of Peace'. Apparently inspired the use of the name "Dr Watson" by Conan Doyle