Helvetius

1810 · 006713 — London: James Cundee; Vernor Hood and Sharpe 1810. 1st reprint this ed. . Cloth Backed Grey Boards. 15.5 Cms x 25 Cms. Vol.1: xviii395; Vol.2: xii4988 Thomas Wilson list - odd given he does not appear as publisher on t.p. this also ends with a short note by T.W. acknowledging the 'encouragement' he has had for his 'New Plan of Boarding Books' 'which for Durability is nearly equal and for Elegance much superior to common binding' - whether this applies to present binding is a moot point! all edges uncut; lacking front endpapers but apparently as issued Vol.1 has gutter opening between t.p. and Preface subsequent two leaves have gutter repair with transparent archival tear-repair tape as becoming disbound otherwise internally generally clean tight & unmarked no foxing; Vol.2 has small brown spot top t.p. incipient gutter opening between t.p. and next leaf Contents a few brown marks to front pastedown otherwise internally clean tight and unmarked both volumes have some slight surface rippling to leaves throughout most clear on verso of t.p.s cause of this unclear certainly not water-damage suspect it is due to binding method and is not really a serious fault. The covers are very secure although a little shaky to front joint but grubby and the unlettered spine cloth is holed in several places along front joint to Vol.1 and split along much of front joint of Vol.2 as well as holed near top all corners well rubbed. Difficult to rate a because internally clearly VG for age and b because although hardly pretty the binding may be historically interesting as an early 19th century issue-binding - especially if it was originally a product of Thomas Wilson's 'New Plan of Boarding Books' as well it might be. An interesting copy of Helvetius's famous or notorious radical atheist psychological-cum-philosophical treatise. <br/> <br/> James Cundee; Vernor, Hood and Sharpe hardcover