Memoirs of the Public and Private Life of John Howard, the Philanthropist; compiled from his own diary, in the possession of his family; his confidential letters, the communications of his surviving relatives and friends; and other authentic sources of information.
London: Rest Fenner, 1818. First Edition. Hardcover. Thick quarto. xxviii + 692pp. Full calf, professionally rebacked with a new leather spine with raised bands & gilt rules with leather title-label from original spine laid down. Two engraved b/w portraits, one of John Howard (beneath which is a facsimile of his his handwriting) as frontispiece, and one of his wife Henrietta before main text. A first edition of this famous biography of John Howard (1726 – 1790), English philanthropist and prison reformer, whose work influenced conditions on several continents, and lives on in organisations such as the Howard League for Penal Reform. Both the front and rear boards have the seal of "The Society of Writers to the Signet" - a prestigious private society of Scottish solicitors - stamped in them in gilt (the gilt now quite dulled). Boards somewhat scuffed with some wear to edges and corners rounded, page-edges browned, considerable offsetting from plates to their facing pages (the frontispiece is also lacking its tissue-guard), discoloration around edges of pastedowns, occasional minor marks & top-corner creases to some pages, still a solid, clean & complete VG or better copy. Item #52005
Price: $250.00