SKETCHES OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF PATRICK HENRY
Philadelphia: James Webster, 1817. Full Leather. Very Good binding. Item #5710
Octavo. xv, [1], 427, [1], xii, [1, (errata)] pp. First edition. Contemporary sheep with morocco title label on the spine. A presentable copy with light rubbing to the binding; corners are softened; contemporary owner name on the top of the title page; another owner name on the recto of the frontispiece has been partially removed by someone who tore away the top corner of that page; otherwise, contents are clean but for the typical foxing/toning. While historians have taken issue with Wirt's romanticization of Henry and the questionable manner in which he researched and rendered Henry's speeches, this remains an important biography in how it captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the early Republic and how it viewed the heroes of the Revolution. Uncommon first edition. Sabin 104882; Shaw and Shoemaker 42937; Howes W586.
Price: $450.00