Sketches of Places and People Abroad; American Fugitive in Europe

Boston: John P. Jewett, 1855. First American Edition. Cloth. Good. Brown cloth, with blind stamp illustrations on cover and spine, and gold lettering on spine. Front flyleaf has two library stickers. One is a bookplate that says, "Library of the Boys' High School, Portsmouth, NH, presented by Frank P. Newton." Frank P. Newton is written in cursive but it is in someone else's writing. Something is pasted partially on top of the bookplate obscuring the word Boys'. There are four different (library) numerals on that page. On front free flyleaf is pasted in a letter stating, "This book was bequeathed to the Boys' High School by Frank P. Newton of the class of 1865 who died, February 20, 1866... " The handwriting is the same as the writing on the bookplate. Rear endpaper has brown paper glued, presumably a library pocket. Stain from residue on rear free endpaper. Front flyleaf has written in pencil,"Presented to Frank P. Newton by Anna _ Hall March 1858."

Wells was the author of "Clotel," the first novel published in the U. S. by an African American author. He escaped slavery and was a lecturer of the abolitionist movement and a historian. He lived for six years in England. 320pp. First American Edition.