The Unfortunate Lovers. The History of Argalus and Parthenia. In Four Books. Adorn'd with Cuts.

Bookseller Notes

The History of Argalus and Parthenia, a perfectly self-contained episode from Sidney's Arcadia and thus ripe for adaptation, was re-fashioned for the stage by Henry Glapthorne in 1633, and versified by Francis Quarles in 1629, this version running to over 30 editions before 1730. Its popularity is further borne out by Julius Lloyd's 1862 biography of Sidney in which he reports that Argalus and Parthenia had been published separately on several occasions and was still being published cheaply.In the Preface of this uncommon, early, illustrated prose edition, the author states that though Mr. Quarles' versification 'has flourish'd very well, yet I doubt not that it will thrive much better in its Original Soil.' He also commends the universally instructive nature of the work: '...with so many pass note Declamations upon several (I may say all) Occasions that it may well be stil'd, The Lovers Common Place Book...'Though the author of this particular version is unrecorded, an early inscription on the front end paper reads 'by John Quarles'. John (matriculating from Exeter College, Oxford, in 1643), the son of Francis, is known to have written A Continuation of his father's work, in 1659, but his connection with this particular work is uncorroborated. ESTC T177894 (2 in UK: BL, Bodleian; 3 in US: 2 at Harvard, Yale)