O Jiřím Washingtonu, zakladateli svobody Americké [About George Washington, the founder of American freedom]. Series title: Osvěta lidu. Bibliotéka prostonárodních přednášek [Education of the people. A library of popular lectures], vol. 6

Prague: Jan Otto, 1872. Small octavo (17.5 × 11 cm). Original printed wrappers with engraved vignette; 64 pp. A very good copy. First edition of a historical lecture about George Washington, held in the "Osvěta" ("Enlightenment") circle in Prague and published as volume six of this series of popular educational booklets. The brochure is the first monograph about Washington to appear in Czech. The author, the journalist and writer Karel Tůma (1843-1917) was a noted political activist fighting for numerous liberal causes. In 1868 he was sentenced to jail for his political editorials. Here, too, his impassioned account of Washington's struggle is connected with the Czech love for freedom, and the memory of famous Czech leaders such as Jan Hus, Jiri Zizka, and Jan Amos Komensky. The rear wrapper features a description of the progressive aims of the "Osvěta lidu" series. Outside of the Czech Republic, KVK and OCLC show copies at Austrian National Library, British Library, Herder-Institut, Texas A&M, Utah and Yale. (Inventory #: P4459)