This handsomely illustrated volume is a copy of the first folio edition of John Ogilby's translation of Aesop's Fables. Ogilby had originally published his translation in the smaller quarto format in 1651 but its popularity at publication led to a need for Ogilby to reproduce the work in a larger version with new engravings by the Bohemian artist Wenceslaus Hollar. There was much excitement over the publication of this new edition and Ogilby, in an enterprising manner, held a lottery in London at which he offered his own translations of Classical authors including Aesop as prizes. The diarist, Samuel Pepys, was one of the recipients of a copy and wrote in his diary in 1666, whilst waiting for the publication of the second edition, that he hoped it too would be "very fine and satyricall." Ogilby's translation played upon the political situation in Britain and Europe during the mid-seventeenth century. His 1651 translation of the fables, many of which were included in the 1665 folio, played upon the underlying tension in England following the Civil War and the domination of Oliver Cromwell. There are numerous references to the problems facing a country without a strong figurehead and warnings that others may seek to take advantage. These references would have been known to contemporary readers. The folio edition also includes a reference to contemporary European politics. The fable "Of the frogs fearing the sun will marry" for instance is a thinly veiled satire on Dutch fears over the marriage of Louis XIV of France to the Infanta of Spain in 1660, and his ambition to increase French power worldwide. The fine nature of Ogibly's translations, with their Hollar engravings and annotations referring to Classical authors, was much derided by other publishers. They saw the 'sculptures' as detracting from the text. However this style proved immensely popular with the public and his books went through numerous editions; Aesop for instance, was his most successful work, going through five editions by 1676.