Familiar Letters From Italy, To a Friend in England. In Two Volumes.

  • Beckford, Peter
  • Salisbury: Printed and Sold by J. Easton 1805

£300

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Description

FIRST EDITION, 2 vols., 8vo, pp. xii, 450; viii, 454, [2]. Later marbled calf by Riviere and Son, spines divided by raised bands, red and green morocco labels, top edges gilt. Some scattered toning, a touch of spotting. Front joint of vol. 1 split but cords holding, other joints starting, a touch of rubbing, spines just a little creased. Ownership inscription of William Philips to flyleaf of vol. 1 dated Sept. 1805, card with gift note from Arthur F. Hill dated Dec. 21st 1926 loosely inserted.

Notes

Beckford's tours of the continent commenced in 1765 and was only curtailed in the 1790s with Napoleon's invasion of Italy. Most of the letters here were written in 1787 and record his impressions of daily life in Italy, with dispatches from Sienna, Rome and Florence.
This copy belonged to Arthur F. Hill, scion of the violin manufacturing firm of W.E. Hill and Son, who presented it to a cousin, noting that the volumes 'bear a name with which I am proud to be associated'.

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