MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF Mrs HANNAH MORE (4 vols)

London: R.B.Seeley and W. Burnside, 1834. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine. All in stippled red leather with dec. gilt sp. title panel and gilt More sig. across bottom fr. outer corners, all clean and bright but varying degrees of slight corner edge and sp. end rubbing to most extremities. Not entirely clear if this is original binding but certainly early. Top edges gilt and gilt-deckled edges to all paste-downs. Vol.1: tanned frontispiece with bottom outer corner chip skillfully repaired + vi + 407; 1873 seven line (most short) gift inscription to half-title, no other obvious internal faults though f/piece tanning very faintly off-et onto t.p.. Vol.2: 478 pp., no prelims, faint short inscrip. top half-title in same hand as Vol.1 gift inscription, a few small tanning spots to first few leaves, otherwise no obvious faults. Vol.3: 502 pp.; no obvious faults at all - no tanning or inscriptions, no prelims. Vol.4: 399 + (1, verso 399 plus for another books by author) + (4, pub. list and notices), as Vol.3. Despite a few faults as mentioned this must I think rate as Near Fine for age. A mine of information for those interested in late 18th and early 19 century English history. During her long life (1745-1833) Hannah More was ubiquitous in literary, educational and religious circles, a prolific playwright, friend of Samuel Johnson, David Garrick, Edmund Burke, and Joshua Reynolds, pro-women but notoriously conservative. An ardent anti-slavery abolitionist she also wrote pamphlets attacking Tom Paine and the French Revolution. Though a supporter of female education and women generally she her position has been described as 'anti-feminist'. One could go on... she certainly did! Weighs nearly 2.5 kg unpacked so allow for additional postage, especially outside the UK. 13 cm x 20 cm