1804-1807. · London
by Marshall, John
London, 1804-1807.. Five volumes. xxxii,458; vii,[1],541,[2]; viii,460; vii,[1],589; vii,[1],669,[4]pp., plus twelve folding maps and three frontispiece plates. One in-text illustration. Quarto. Contemporary diced Russia, ruled in blind and gilt, neatly rebacked, spines gilt, morocco labels. Moderate edge wear. Erased contemporary ownership stamps and inscriptions on titlepages. Text tanned, with scattered foxing. Maps rather foxed, with some offsetting from plates. A good to very good set. First quarto British edition and, according to Howes, the best edition of Marshall's classic biography of Washington. "After the able, accurate and comprehensive work of Chief Justice Marshall, it would be presumptuous to attempt a historical biography of Washington" - Jared Sparks. The first American edition and this first British edition contain a history of the colonies in the first volume which was omitted from later editions. Howes calls for ten maps and six plates, but the present copy conforms to the list of maps and plates in the rear of the fifth volume, except for the map of Boston, which is bound as a frontispiece to Volume Five instead of at the rear. HOWES M317, "aa." SABIN 44788. REESE, REVOLUTIONARY HUNDRED 92 (ref).
(Inventory #: WRCAM51791)