Tour of Dr. Syntax. In Search of the Picturesque. A Poem. Reverend Dr. Syntax. [Combe, William, (1742-1823)] R. Ackermann, London. 1823.

First and only edition. [4], 276, [1] printed pages. Complete with 30 hand-coloured aquatints after Thomas Rowlandson, recut especially for this miniature edition. Printed by J. Diggens, St. Anne's Lane, London. Offsetting and age-toning. New endpapers. 9.5 x 14 cm. Rebound in half calf; spine in six compartments with raised bands, red morocco label and gilt titling and tooled flowers; boards with marbled paper. Abbey, Life, 269. Prideaux, 332. Tooley, 235. The two volumes, 'Second' and 'Third' Tours were published later -this volume has an 1822 watermark (see page 175), and the other volumes bear 1823 watermarks. From 1809 to 1811 he wrote for Ackermann's The Poetical Magazine the serialized comic poem The Tour of Dr Syntax in Search of the Picturesque, descriptive and moralizing verse illustrated by artist Thomas Rowlandson 's color plates. It satirised William Gilpin, who toured Britain to describe his theory of the Picturesque. It was collected in book form in 1812, and was followed by two similar Tours, "...in search of Consolation" (1819) and "...in search of a Wife," the first Mrs Syntax having died at the end of the first Tour. The second Tour was collected as an 1820 book, and the third tour as an 1821 book. William Combe died in 1823.