JOHN L. STODDARD'S LECTURES: Sicily, Genoa, a Drive Through the Engadine, Supplementary Volume Number Four

Chicago & Boston: George L. Shuman & Co, 1915. (USA) Edition of 1915 with the black pigskin (?) flexible full leather covers with the three gold borders to the front and back covers and spine titles with gold floral motif to the spine. Ownership stamps to chapter headings and to half-title, no other markings, slight rubbing to spine extremities and cover corner tips, otherwise Very Good; no dust jacket as published. This is a special presentation copy with the presentation printed in raised gold lettering to the recto of the frontis. Flexible black pigskin, green floral patterned endpapers, all edges gilt, colour frontis and two colour plates; many B&W photos, 336pp, index. Stoddard's travel lectures were immensely popular at a time when travel was not easy. The lectures made Stoddard a multi-millionaire and it can be argued that his lectures started the modern travelogue. He travels in or about 1874 and created the lectures some time later along with his photographs which were presented to enraptured audiences by means of a magic lantern projection. The late 19th century text is rather ornate to modern ears. Here is an example here the author talks about Naples: " Even in this prosaic age it still remains a copious fountain of romance. Year after year, and century after century, the worshipers of Nature from all lands have come to render homage ot its matchless shores, like the soft waves which steal in from the outer sea, kiss with a murmur of delight its crescent beach and then retire; but the fair bay remains the same, "a thing of beauty and a joy forever". I believe the photos were taken by Stoddard or at least under his direction and date from the mid 1870s. The photos of the monuments are timeless and seemingly unchanged but the photos of the people and their activities seem more remote than their 150 year distance would warrant. The black leather edition is my favourite of all his editions as the flexxible covers make the book easy to hold. (2.2 JM HOQ 102/4. Leather. Very Good/No Dust Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾".