The Enemies of Books

London: Trübner & Co, 1880. Second edition. A very good copy, some chipping to edges. 8vo (20.3 x 12.7 cm). Seven plates, including frontispiece, the fifth a woodburytype (cracked). Original printed wrappers, sheets untrimmed as issued (rebacked). In a cloth folding case. Provenance: Eliza Groves (presentation inscription from the author); Nathan Comfort Starr (armorial bookplate, signature dated December 1920 on front free endpaper). Presentation copy, inscribed on the half-title: "Eliza Grove from her cousin William Blades." Webber: "The plates form an interesting feature of the book, for they illustrate etching, wood engraving, woodbury type, lithography and photo-typography." The enemies are fire, water, gas & heat, dust & neglect, ignorance (the enemy of all), the bookworm, and other vermin.