END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. by Ovid: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This isn't a poem in the usual way — it's a printer's colophon, which is a short note at the end of a book that states who printed it and where.
The poem
_Macdonald & Bailey, Printers, Harris's Place, Oxford-Street._
This isn't a poem in the usual way — it's a printer's colophon, which is a short note at the end of a book that states who printed it and where. It signifies the completion of the first volume of a published edition of Ovid's work, likely an English translation or collection from the 18th or 19th century. The single line informs us that the book was printed by Macdonald & Bailey at their press on Oxford Street, London.
Line-by-line
_Macdonald & Bailey, Printers, Harris's Place, Oxford-Street._
Tone & mood
There’s no literary tone in the poetic sense here. As a printer's colophon, the register serves a purely functional and administrative purpose — it’s plain, impersonal, and straightforward. In fact, it holds the quiet authority of a craftsman signing off on their work.
Symbols & metaphors
- The printer's imprint — In book history, the colophon serves as a badge of accountability and craftsmanship — it's the printer's way of declaring, "we created this." It connects a literary text to the tangible, commercial realm of publishing.
- Oxford Street address — Oxford Street in London has long been a center for trade and commerce. Setting up a press there indicates that a publisher is part of the mainstream book trade, connecting with a wide audience of readers.
- "End of the First Volume" — This phrase indicates both an ending and a pause—the work isn't complete, just on hold. It presents Ovid's writing as significant enough to need several volumes, suggesting its breadth and ambition.
Historical context
Ovid (43 BC – 17/18 AD) was a Roman poet whose works, including the *Metamorphoses*, *Amores*, and *Ars Amatoria*, had a profound impact on European literature. In the 18th and 19th centuries, British publishers released many editions and translations of his poetry to cater to an expanding readership. This colophon comes from one such edition, printed by Macdonald & Bailey of Oxford Street, London. Printer's imprints like this were legally mandated in Britain for much of the 18th century due to the Printing Act and its successors, and they continued to be a common element in books well after. Today, they assist bibliographers in dating and identifying specific editions. Although the text does not specify which of Ovid's works is being published, the multi-volume format hints at a significant collection, likely the *Metamorphoses* or a complete works compilation.
FAQ
No. This is a printer's colophon — a brief note at the back of a book that indicates who printed it. Ovid wrote in Latin during ancient Rome; this line was added by a printing firm in London in the 18th or 19th century. It's attributed to Ovid only because it shows up at the end of a collection of his writings.
A colophon is a short note at the end of a book that provides information about its production, including the printer, the location of printing, and sometimes the date. Before title pages became common, colophons were the primary way for readers to learn about the book's creator. Even after title pages became the norm, colophons continued to be included as a tradition.
They were a printing company based in London, located on Harris's Place off Oxford Street. Unfortunately, apart from this imprint, there isn't much detailed information available about this particular firm, which is typical for smaller trade printers from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The colophon doesn’t provide much information. Since this is Volume One of a multi-volume set, it’s probably a significant work like the *Metamorphoses*, or maybe a complete edition of Ovid's poetry. We can't be sure without the title page from the original book.
It’s important for book history rather than literary analysis. Details like this help scholars understand how Ovid's work was published, distributed, and read in later centuries, which is crucial for grasping why his influence endured for so long.
Ovid's genuine poetry explores themes of love, transformation, exile, myth, and the passage of time. However, none of these themes appear in this colophon, which is strictly administrative. To truly connect with Ovid's themes, you would need to read the poems themselves.
Printers typically placed the imprint at the end of a volume — after all the text — serving as a sign-off. Including "End of the First Volume" before it helped to clearly delineate the boundary between volumes in a multi-part set, ensuring that both readers and booksellers understood exactly what they had.