A Descriptive Bibliography of Edmond Hoyle

Copyright © 2014-26 by David Levy

(page updated 2025-04-30)

Hodgson.1

Hoyle's Improved Miniature Edition, printed by and for Hodgson & Co., printed by and for Hodgson & Co., 1821.

Title: HOYLE'S | IMPROVED | MINIATURE EDITION | OF THE | RULES | FOR PLAYING | FASHIONABLE GAMES: | CONTAINING | COPIOUS DIRECTIONS | FOR | [7 lines to left of rule] WHIST. | CRIBBAGE. | MATRIMONY. | CONNEXIONS. | SPECULATION. | LOO. | DOMINO. | [7 lines to right of rule] POPE JOAN. | CASSINO. | VINGT UN. | LOTTERY. | ALL FOURS. | BRAG, AND | PUT. | [short reverse oxford rule] | London: | PRINTED BY AND FOR HODGSON & CO. | 10, NEWGATE STREET. | [short rule] | SIXPENCE.
Collation: 16o: A–D8 [$1–2 signed]; 32 leaves, pp. [1–3] 4 [5] 6–62 [63–64]
Contents: Signature (Page) Reference Contents Signature (Page) Reference Running Titles
A1r (1) title
A1v (2) blank
A2r–A2v (3–4) ‘PLAYING CARDS. | [...]’ A2v (4) ‘PLAYING CARDS.’
A3r–A3v (5–6) ‘TO THE PUBLIC. | [short rule] | Thirty summers have now nearly suc-|ceeded as many winters, since the celebrated | Bob Short, of long memory, put forth his | laws of the game of Whist, under the title | of "Short Rules for Short Memories; and | which were printed for the benefit of fami-|lies, to prevent scolding; these were prefaced | with a | DEDICATION | TO THE | FOUR KINGS. | [...]’ A3v (6) ‘DEDICATION.’
A4r–B5r (7–25) ‘THE | GAME OF WHIST. | [...]’ A4v–A5r (8–9) ‘WHIST. | STANDING RULES.’
A5v–A7r (10–13) ‘WHIST. | LAWS OF THE GAME.’
A7v–B4v (14–24) ‘WHIST. | MAXIMS.’
B5v–C2v (26–36) ‘THE | GAME OF CRIBBAGE. | [...]’ B6r–C3r (27–37) ‘CRIBBAGE.’
C2v–C3r (36–37) ‘[...] | THE | GAME OF LOTTERY. | [...]’
C3v (38) ‘THE | GAME OF SPECULATION. | [...]’
C4r–C5r (39–41) ‘THE | GAME OF ALL-FOURS. | [...]’ C4v (40) ‘ALL-FOURS.’
C5r–C5v (41–42) ‘[...] | THE | GAME OF DOMINO. | [...]’ C5r–C5v (41–42) ‘DOMINO.’
C6r (43) ‘THE | GAME OF CONNEXIONS. | [...]’
C6v–C7r (44–45) ‘THE GAME OF | POPE, OR POPE JOAN. | [...]’ C7r (45) ‘POPE, OR POPE JOAN.’
C7v–C8r (46–47) ‘THE | GAME OF MATRIMONY. | [...]’ C8r (47) ‘MATRIMONY.’
C8v–D2r (48–51) ‘THE | GAME OF CASSINO. | [...]’ D1r–D1v (49–50) ‘CASSINO.’
D2r–D3r (51–53) ‘[...] | THE | GAME OF BRAG. | [...]’ D2v–D3r (52–53) ‘BRAG.’
D3v–D4v (54–56) ‘[...] | THE | GAME OF VINGT-UN. | [...]’ D4r (55) ‘VINGT-UN.’
D4v–D6r (56–59) ‘[...] | THE | GAME OF COMMERCE. | [...]’ D4v–D5v (56–58) ‘COMMERCE.’
D6r–D6v (59–60) ‘[...] | THE | GAME OF LOO. | [...]’ D6r–D6v (59–60) ‘LOO.’
D7r–D7v (61–62) ‘THE | GAME OF PUT. | [...]’ D7v (62) ‘PUT.’
D8r (63) ‘CONTENTS. | [...] | [colophon]’
D8v (64) blank
Plates: Frontispiece woodblock: An array of playing cards with gaming boards in the corners. The spade ace is labelled Hoyle's Games, published by Hodgson & Co., 10, Newgate Street.
Publisher: Hodgson & Co.
Printer: Hodgson & Co. (colophon, title)
Price: 6d. (title)
Colophon: ‘[short rule] | Printed by Hodgson & Co. 10, Newgate-street.’
Copies Seen: O [Jessel g.97]
Notes: The "To the Public" on page 5 notes that it has been 30 years since Bob Short wrote Short Rules for Short Memories at Whist. Short's first edition was published in 1791, giving an approximate date for this work of 1821.

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