[POTTER, Beatrix] POTTERI, Beatricis

Fabula Petro Cuniculo [sic]. Liber omnibus notus Beatricis Potteri in Latinum conversus est auctore E. Perotis Walkeri

London, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., [May 1962 (first edition)].

Duodecimo, 60 pages (including the free endpapers) with a small line illustration on the title page, 27 full-page colour plates and colour-pictorial endpapers.

Papered boards with a colour plate mounted on the front cover; scattered foxing internally; a very good copy with the very good dustwrapper (price-clipped and a little worn, marked and foxed).

This first edition in Latin of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' evidently attracted the opprobrium of the Latinist public. By November 1962 Warne had issued a revised edition with substantial corrections and emendations to the Latin, including to the title (a copy of this issue, in similar condition, is offered here together with the first edition).

The revised title is 'Fabula de Petro Cuniculo. Liber omnibus notus Beatricis Potter in Latinum conversus est auctore E. Peroto Walker', with changes also made to the covers and dustwrapper. Internally, we have noticed grammatical and typographical revisions to 18 of the 26 pages of text.

Despite these corrections, the revised version did not meet with great acclaim. A mock-Catullan review by John F. Gummere in 'The Classical World' (March 1963) lists several of E. Perot Walker's awkward calques (e.g. 'Dominus McGregor erat in suis manibus et genibus' for 'Mr McGregor was on his hands and knees') and concludes 'Ohe, iam satis est. O factum male! Vae miselle liber!'. [2 items].

Item #146378

Price (AUD): $250.00
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