Michael Moon acquires rare edition of Jonathan Swift's A Tale of A Tub

Michael Moon’s Bookshop has obtained a seventh edition of Jonathan Swift’s A Tale of A Tub which was printed in 1726.

The rare seventh edition of A Tale of A Tub which dates back to 1726 (Image: Michael Moon)

It was the first major work written by the author who is best known for writing Gulliver’s Travels and has links to Whitehaven.

Peter Moon, of Michael Moon’s Bookshop, said: “We got a phone call from Mr Dixon who has the department store. His daughter was clearing some stuff out and there was a box we bought. This book was amongst them.

“It’s not a particularly early edition of the book. A Tale of A Tub was originally published in 1704 and this was one dates from 1726 but it’s an interesting book because that’s when he published Gulliver’s Travels.”

The Gulliver's Travels mural on Washington Square in Whitehaven (Image: Michael Moon)

Mr Moon said the item would now be listed online for sale and is expected to sell for between £200 and £300 but could go for more.

He said: “One of the nice things about selling books is you never quite know until you’ve done your research if you’re onto a winner. For this specific seventh edition, I don’t think there are too many about.

“This is the oldest Jonathan Swift book we’ve had in a very long time, if not the oldest that we’ve had.”

Jonathan Swift was brought from Dublin to live in Whitehaven as an infant by his nurse. It was here that he learned to read passages from The Bible.

The house above The Candlestick in Whitehaven where Jonathan Swift is thought to have lived as an infant (Image: Mike McKenzie)

The house in which he is thought to have lived is near the Candlestick chimney, above the harbour. Local legend has it that Swift may have drawn inspiration for the Lilliputians in Gulliver’s Travels from a childhood memory of gazing down from a high point onto the busy harbour quays below.

There is a plaque and celebratory mural in Washington Square to mark Swift’s links to the town.