Titles starting with L from Stuart Bennett Rare Books

Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1865. Roman Anglais. Traduit avec l’autorisation de l’auteur par Georges Guiffrey. 2 vols., 8vo. With the half-titles, bold ink signature of the French artist and poet Marie Laurencin at the head of each title-page. An attractive copy in contemporary green morocco-backed marbled boards, spines gilt. Apparently the second edition in French; Guiffrey’s translation had appeared in cheaper format ten years earlier as part of a “railway novels” serie... more information

Paris: Constant Le Tellier Fils, 1826. Mélé d’Anecdotes Amusantes et de Conversations Instructives; traduit de l’Anglois de Miss Lucy Peacock, sur la 4e Edition. [iv], 167pp., 18mo. Engraved frontispiece, with the half-title. Contemporary tree sheep; rebacked with most of the original spine and a clumsy new gilt label. First edition in French, rare, and an appropriate title for a French translation as the story concerns the young victim of a French shipwreck and her friendship wi... more information

London: Kerby and Son, [1856]. [iv], 88, [4]pp., sm. 4to. Four hand-colored wood-engraved plates by Butterworth and Heath after Cruikshank, with the half-title and two leaves of publisher’s advertisements at end. Original blind-stamped red cloth by Westley’s, with ticket, title gilt on upper cover and spine; spine ends very slightly frayed. First edition, by the indefatigible traveller and author. Cohn, George Cruikshank, 625, noting that not all copies were hand-colored; Osborne, p. 1019, w... more information

London: Printed for J. Peele [et al.], 1720. By the late J. Bulkeley. . . Author of the Letters to the Revd. Dr. Clark, on Liberty and Necessity. [ii],xvi,389,[1]p., Engraved frontispiece by Van der Gucht after Cheron; some mild staining, especially at the edges of sthe first few leaves. A large copy, neatly bound in calf-backed marbled boards antique, spine gilt. First edition, a different version of the first book alone had been published separately in 1717. Foxon, English Verse 1701-1750, B562 ... more information

London: Printed in the Year, 1687. In a Letter to a Friend. 12pp., 4to. Disbound. First edition, a reply to William Darrell’s “Lay-man’s Opinion,” and sometimes attributed to him. The pamphlet supports the King and closes with a page of verse invoking the familiar image of the panther. Wing L747. ... more information

Londres [but certainly Paris]: Chez J. Nours, 1753. ou, l’Histoire de John Bull. Publiée sur un Manuscrit trouvé dans le Cabinet du fameux Sire Humfroy Polesworth, en l’année 1712. Par le Docteur Swift. xxiii, [i], 248pp., 12mo. A few spots and stains, tiny extreme blank corner off the tip of the title-leaf. Contemporary sheep, spine gilt; extremities worn and chipped, but structurally entirely sound. First edition in French of Arbuthnot’s splendid John Bull pamphl... more information

Printed for J.T., at the Cross of Dumbarton, 1860. Gleaned from Divers Fields of Scottish Poesy. xv, [i], 30pp., 8vo. With the text prettily printed in black letter with old-fashioned type ornaments. Contemporary, probably original, old-style blind-ruled calf , fleurs-de-lys in the corners, gilt spine label; just a hint of rubbing to extremities. First edition of this compilation, with an edition statement “Impression: Fifty Copies” on the verso of the dedication leaf. The verses are all ab... more information

Paris: Chez Briasson Libraire, 1737. en deux Poemes, traduits de l’Anglois de M. Pope. Par M. [Jean Francois du Bellay] du Resnel. viii, 243, [5]pp., 8vo. With the half-title, and the privilege and errata pages at end. Contemporary calf, spine gilt; upper joint split but firm. First edition of this fine verse rendition of Pope’s Essay on Man, and Essay on Criticism, with a long, original critical essay by the translator. The work was much reprinted, but this first edition is uncommon. OCLC ... more information

London: Printed for J. Ridgway, 1808. Secretary of State, &c.&c.&c. From Colonel George Hanger; proving how One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men, as well disciplined as any Regiment of the Line need be, may be acquired in the short space of Two Months; with Instructions to the Volunteers. . . to which is added a Plan for the formation of a Corps of Consolidated Marksmen. [ii], 86pp., 8vo. Paper somewhat crinkled but perfectly sound; small and old inkstamp of the Mercantile Library, Philadelphi... more information

Cambridge: Printed by J. Archdeacon, 1773. [iv], 349, [3]pp., 4to, including the last blank leaf. A large and pleasant copy in contemporary sprinkled calf, spine gilt; slightly rubbed but perfectly sound. First edition of this elegantly-printed series of “classic amusements,” arguing among other things that the Homer referred to by Horace was not that of The Iliad but the “Roman Homer” Quintus Ennius. Among other amusements are the author’s disputing Alexander Pope over the lat... more information

London: Printed for J. Johnson, 1777. Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, to William Duncombe, Esq; deceased, from the year 1728 to 1757. With Notes and an Appendix. xv, [i], 355, [1]pp., sm. 8vo. Last leaf slightly spotted. Contemporary calf, spine gilt; very worn but the sewing cords firm. First edition of a fine literary correspondence, with much on Alexander Pope including his “odd perplexity,”, Bolingbroke’s philosophy, the “peculiar beauty” of certain kinds of printing, ... more information

London: Sold by W. Owen, 1771. 2 vols. in one, sm. 8vo. With the half-titles. Nice copy in contemporary sheep; expertly rebacked with a gilt spine. First edition in English of these elegant letters by the beautiful and accomplished mistress of Louis XV, who died in 1764, and who was publicly and quite unjustly blamed for the Seven Years War that ended the preceding year. The first letter in this collection sets the tone, pitying her friend the Duke of Mirepoix upon his posting to England, “doomed... more information

London: Printed for Sam. Briscoe, 1696. Written by and between Mr. Dryden, Mr. Wycherly, Mr. -------, Mr. Congreve, and Mr. Dennis. Published by Mr. Dennis. With a New Translation of Select Letters of Monsieur Voiture. [xvi], 128, [16], 129-190, [2]pp., sm. 8vo. With the terminal leaf of errata/advertisements; occasional minor soiling, early ownership inscription “A. Lamont” on title and another “Mr. John Campbell” on flyleaves. An excellent copy, entirely unsophisticated in contemp... more information

London: Printed for Henry Colburn, 1817. to Arthur Charles Stanhope, Esq. relative to the education of His Lordships's godson, Philip, the late Earl. [iv], xii, 200pp., 12mo. With the half-title, the last four pages (197-200) are publisher’s advertisements. Modern wrappers. First edition of previously-unpublished personal letters from Chesterfield, with an unsigned preface explaining their publication and some of the other characters in the letters, which included (as the boy’s schoomaste... more information

Paris: De l’Imprimerie de la rue de Vaugirard, [1795?] Par Helene Marie Williams. Traduits de l’Anglois. [ii], 208pp., 12mo. Title and last leaf slightly edge-browned from the binding turn-ins, but an attractive copy in contemporary half calf, spine gilt; headcap very slightly chipped. First edition in French, no more published even though the author published English sequels. The letters, on the reign of terror and its aftermath, brought mixed reviews in England, with one critic dismissing ... more information

London: Printed for, and Sold by J. Knox, 1767. Being An Attempt to restore the English Tongue to its ancient Purity, And to correct, as well as expose, the affected Style, hard Words, and absurd Phraseology of many late Writers, and particularly of Our English Lexiphanes, the Rambler. xxxix, [i], 180pp., 8vo. Entirely untrimmed in the original grey wrappers; backstrip and three corners largely missing, one near-invisible wormhole through the upper cover and into the first two leaves, but an excellent co... more information

London: Printed for T. Astley, 1741. Natural Son of Oliver Cromwell, Written by Himself. . . also some curious Particulars of Oliver's History and Amours. . . . 3 vols., 12mo. An attractive copy in contemporary gilt-ruled calf; some joints partly cracked. Second edition in English, "in three volumes. Originally printed in Five Volumes," as the title states, with that five-volume edition appearing in 1735-36. This three-volume set contains the complete text of all twelve books; it is just s... more information

London: Printed for William Miller, 1802. or the Recreations of Solomon Saunter, Esq. 2 vols., 8vo. With the half-titles, these and the versos of the last leaves of text with the imprint "Lane Leadenhall-Street"; small tear to Vol. I half-title, browned and with occasional stains throughout. Contemporary calf; rubbed with the spine ends worn or chipped. First edition, a mixture of literary essays and fiction with a preponderance of the latter. The work has often been attributed to Hewson Clar... more information

Edinburgh: Published by Oliver & Boyd, [circa 1820]. To which is added The Untoward Orphan. Translated from the French. 108pp., 18mo. Engraved frontispiece (this with a very small hole at centre), and two plates; some soiling and staining throughout. Original green roan-backed boards; edges of covers worn, but sound. Apparently the first edition in English of this charming fairy tale of the virtuous youth Prosper who saves his parents lives without knowing who they are, receives a magical mirror fr... more information

London: Joseph Cundall, [after 1846]. A Story Book for Summer. Written for Young Children, by Mrs. Harriet Myrtle. viii, 136pp., sm. 4to. Four lithographed plates [by John Absolon] printed in black and ochre. A fine fresh copy in the original blind-stamped red cloth, spine gilt; somewhat unevenly faded. A reissue of the Absolon plates with retitled and reset text of Myrtle’s A Story Book of the Seasons: Summer, originally published by Cundall in 1846. The stories and plates are charming, with an ... more information