Virtue in Humble Life: Containing Reflections on Relative Duties, Particularly Those of Masters and Servants. Thoughts on the Passions, Prejudices and Tempers of Mankind, Drawn from Real Characters Etc.

London: Dodsley, Sewel and Bew, 1777. Two volumes in one - [4], xvii, [1], vii, [1], 411pp, [1]; [4], vii [actually v], [1], 523pp, [1]. Contemporary full calf, raised bands, spine in six panels, second panel with green morocco title label, remaining panels with red morocco labels and differing central devices, first panel with an 'all seeing eye', third with volume numbers, fourth with a cross, fifth with a winged hour-glass device and sixth with a flower. Covers with a rope rolled border, large flower corner pieces with the same central winged hour-glass device surrounded by the motto on the upper cover, 'Let Every Virtue Shine and Every Bliss Be Thine', which is in turn surrounded by a circle made up of stars, with the lower cover continuing 'Humility and Peace Thy Name Shall Ever Grace' again with the surrounding circle, spot patterned marbled endpapers. Joints split but holding, small chip with loss to rear joint, corners bumped and rubbed, chip to head of spine with small amount of loss, covers slightly stained and lightly rubbed. Internally some light foxing / browning, corner excised from N4 in the second volume, but generally clean. Engraved frontispieces by J. Hall after E. Edwards. Presentation copy from Hanway to Ann Elizabeth Minster, with note to reverse of front marbled endpaper. Presentation copy in a presentation binding by Hanway's second binder (cf. Hobson), this copy is the same as the one in Maggs' Bookbinding in the British Isles (Catalogue 1212 - 1996 - [153]), where they note "Hanway used this style of binding, in calf with red goatskin or sheep skin spines, quite extensively, but they seldom come on the market". Other Hanway bindings are described in Nixon's 'Five Centuries of English Bookbindings' No. 78, and Maggs have had another binding inscribed to the same lady as here, in Maggs 1075 Part II, No. 182. Presentation Copy from the Author. Second Edition. Full Calf. Good. 4to.