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Wollstonecraft, Mary.
Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
London: J. Johnson, 1796 8vo. (iv), 262, (2, appendix), (2, notes), (2, ads) pp. Modern calf antique, early ink signature on title-page, first and last leaves browned, overall, a very good copy. First edition of these eloquent travel narratives, comprising the first published account in English of a woman travelling on business. "When Johnson published the Letters they found an enthusiastic public, not least among young poets. The wording of her description of the waterfalls she visited . . . appears to have played a part in inspiring Coleridge's description of the sacred river Alph in Xanadu; and the theme of the book . . . set a fashion for questing romantic journeys. Byron, Wordsworth, Shelley, and Mary's as yet unborn daughter Mary, who sends her Frankenstein north at the end of his story, all read and followed in Mary Wollstonecraft's footsteps." (Tomalin, The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, Penguin 1992, p. 228.) Godwin noted in his memoirs (1798): "If ever there was a book calculated to make a man in love with its author, this appears to me to be the book." With the final advertisement leaf listing all of Mary Wollstonecraft's books from Johnson to that date, the first "bibliography" of her work. Rothschild 2598. Windle A7a.
- USD 2,500.00 > other currencies
- ordernr.: 5016
- bookseller: Antiquarian Bookseller, John Windle (USA)
This item is offered by:
Antiquarian Bookseller, John Windle (ABAA)
| Address | 49 Geary St., #233 San Francisco, CA 94108 |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Association | ABAA |
| Main contact | John Windle |
| Other contacts | Chris Loker (proprietor) |
| Tel | (415) 986-5826, cell (415) 244-8256 |
| Fax | (415) 986-5827 |
 | |
| Internet | www.antiquarianbookseller.com |
| Specialisation | Bindings, Early & Fine Printing, Illustrated Books, William Blake & His Circle, Illuminated Manuscripts, Private Press Books, T.F. Dibdin, Mary Wollstonecraft, Children's Books |
| Open times | Monday-Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-4, Sunday by appointment only. |
Conditions of sale
Conditons of sale are as stated on my home page and in my printed catalogues.
About Us
John Windle has been dealing in rare books, manuscripts, and book-related prints and
paintings since 1967. After training with Bernard Quaritch Ltd. in London and John Howell-
Books in San Francisco, he opened for business in San Francisco in 1974. John is a member of
the Grolier Club, the Roxburghe Club of San Francisco, the Caxton Club, the Book Club of
California, the Colophon Club, the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America), the
ILAB (International League of Antiquarian Booksellers), and the Lake Merritt Joggers and
Striders, and serves on several boards and committees.
After a distinguished corporate career in human resources with Bank of America, Levi Strauss,
and lastly as senior vice-president with Charles Schwab, Chris Loker retired to join John in the
book business and runs her own children's book shop in the same building as John's shop. She
also serves on the boards of the Bring Me A Book Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to
children's literacy, and The World Federation of Right to Die Societies, a nonprofit global
organization of 38 right to die organisations from 23 countries. She is a member of the
Grolier Club and the Book Club of California, and an associate member of the ABAA. Her
specialities include children's books, calligraphy and illumination, poetry, and fine bindings.
John Windle issues one or two printed catalogues a year, one devoted to specialised subjects
depending on current inventory, and the other a general catalogue of rare books and
manuscripts. These catalogues will be sent upon request. Appraisals are also undertaken for
Institutions and private collectors, and bids are accepted for auctions worldwide on a standard
commission basis.