The Diary of an Invalid

THE

DIARY OF AN INVALID

BEING THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR

IN PURSUIT OF HEALTH

IN PORTUGAL ITALY SWITZERLAND

AND FRANCE

IN THE YEARS 1817 1818 AND 1819

BY HENRY MATTHEWS Esq. A. M.

SECOND EDITION

LONDON

JOHN MURRAY

MDCCCXX

DESCRIPTION

(ii) + 515 + (ii)

Book measures 225mm x 140mm approximately.

Bound in contemporary half tan calf over marbled boards. Spine with four gilt-ruled raised bands with blind-tooled motifs to compartments and title in gilt.

CONDITION

The binding is in reasonable to good condition and holding. The front board is slightly cracked to the upper one inch and a little shaky to the remainder. There are scuffs, knocks, some wear, chips generally and a few losses of leather to the board corners spine top. I doubt the book has been opened to read. Internally the pages generally clean although a little dusty, with random foxing patches and spots, and some margin staining to end-papers. Previous owner bookplate central to front paste-down.

INTERESTING

Henry Matthews (1789 to 1828), was a judge and traveller. He received his education at Eton, and afterwards became a fellow of King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1815 with an MA. In 1817 he left England on account of ill-health, and on his return, he published his well-known Diary of an Invalid, being the Journal of a Tour in pursuit of health in Europe. The work attracted popular favour and was reprinted several times.

In 1821, having been previously called to the bar, he was appointed advocate-fiscal of Ceylon, and fulfilled the duties of that office till October 1827, when he was promoted to the judicial bench. He died in Ceylon in 1828, and was interred in St. Peter's Church, in the Fort of Colombo.