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1927 Fanfrolico Press - Elizabethan Satire on Privies
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1927 Fanfrolico Press - Elizabethan Satire on Privies
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"The Metamorphosis of Ajax. A New Discourse of a Stale Subject by Sir John Harington" By John Harington. Published by in London by the Fanfrolico Press: 1927. Printed for subscribers in an edition of 450 numbered copies. A reprinting of the 1596 edition of this satirical Elizabethan book about constructing sanitary plumbing, edited, and with a new introduction, by Peter Warlock and Jack Lindsay. Sir John Harington [1561-1612] was a figure at Court and Elizabeth’s godson, a relationship that did not prevent his slipping in and out of favor. This satirical work about the construction of a revolutionary flushing privy contained a potshot at Leicester, which got him into temporary trouble, but also included some good, common sense sanitary design that was ignored by householders for another 200 years. In fact, Harington is given credit by some historians as being the inventor of the flush toilet (more or less) and apparently actually built one of the contraptions he described in this book for the Queen. “Ajax” was a play on words, the Elizabethan slang for privy being a “jake”. Harington was not a first-rank writer, but he was entertaining and had his moments. As Lindsay says of this work in his Preface- “ It lacks the epic prodigality of Rabelais (but) it is more precise and neat as becomes a man who essays not to cleans the earth’s bad morality with lyric laughter, but its bad smells with carefully devised carpentry...Harrington is no great poet; but I defy any great poet to write a better book on privies than this ”.That about says it all. Hardcover. 6.5”x10”, xxix + 144 pages; portrait frontispiece and several line illustrations in the text; decorated covers. Some toning along the top margin of the cover, spine darkened, a little internal soil, but overall in nice condition. - QUESTIONS about this item? If you have any questions regarding this item, please let us know and we will respond promptly. We have more books like this listed in our Ebay store! Joslin Hall BooksSelling books since 1983 INSURANCE??? As a seller we take responsibility for properly packing and delivering your purchase safely to you. You do not have to spend extra for insurance to guarantee that. RETURNS: We want you to be completely satisfied- anything is returnable for any reason at all within 14 days of receipt; we do ask that you notify us that you are returning it. OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS: We always welcome orders from customers outside the United States. The United States Post Office has discontinued surface (sea mail) shipments overseas, and so all packages must now go by air, meaning shipping to overseas customers costs more than it used to. You can use the Ebay shipping calculator (below), or use the "Ask Us a Question" button, to find the cost of shipping before you buy a book. If we can answer any other questions, please let us know. - Member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Americaand the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers . Your satisfaction is guaranteed with every book you purchase. 
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