The Sprit of English Wit or post_Chaise Companion, Being an Entertaining Budget of Laughable Annecdotes, Smart Reparteers, Prize Bulls, Pointed Epigrams, Humourous Epitaphs, Sprigjtly Witticisms, Singular Characters, Burst of Merriment, Etc.
London; Nd(ca.1809): For Thomas Tegg. 16mo in Sixes. Item #028245
359(1)pp. Folding hand-colored frontispiece dated 1809 showing an evil genius with bellows fanning the flames of the four humors leading a crowd to throw into the air the expressions of humor. A particularly appropriate frontispiece to a bestselling work on humor. The publisher, Thomas Tegg managed to obtain the rights to items no longer under copyright as well as to self-publish thousands of other books in his career. From poverty his will revealed an estate of 80,000 pounds. Few will find these items overly humorous, but I have included on that was somewhat scandalous in the early 19th century. "A certain lady, finding her husband too familiar with her chambermaid, turned her away, saying "Hussey, I have to occasion for sluts such as you, I hired you to do your business not min." Much of the humor is instructive as to how the various trades and professions acted but alas will bring few to a laughter. Bound in 3/4 blue cloth (cloth binding tape) over original marbled paper covered boards, paper spine label, green endpapers, previous owner's bookplate, folding plates have some browning to edges, front (second )endpaper nearly detached, internally the book is clean but the binding repair was not done professionally but is quite sturdy.
Price: $200.00