Peter’s letters to his kinsfolk

Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood, T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1819. Volume 1 with half-title, frontispiece, engraved title vignette, 3 plates and 18 pages publisher’s advertisements; Volume 2 with half-title, engraved title vignette and 3 plates; Volume 3 with half-title, engraved title vignette, 3 plates, 1 text engraving and 1 page publisher’s advertisements. Grey cloth-backed boards with paper spine labels; some light occasional interior spotting. Uncut; ownership inscription to fly-leaf of volume 1. Second edition, although there is some confusion; apparently the title page to the first edition is printed with “second edition.” The title to this edition states “third edition,” though sources often list it as the second edition. Written under the pseudonym Peter Morris, this book apparently stirred up a bit of a scandal when it was published, as it satirized many of Edinburgh’s prominent figures of the day. Lockhart (1794-1845) was a biographer and novelist who was perhaps best known for his massive seven-volume biography of his father in law, Sir Walter Scott. He was contributing editor for the highly controversial Blackwood’s magazine and was involved in many projects with its publisher, William Blackwood, publisher of the present work. BMC, XVI, 626; BMC, XVII, 792; NCBEL, 3, 1291.