The Black Book; or, Corruption Unmasked!

London: John Fairburn, 1820. First edition. Leather. Good. 9" by 6". None. The first edition of John Wade's 'Bible of the Reformers', detailing the corruption and abuses of the English state and institutions. The first edition of reform writer and journalist John Wade's infamous 'Black Book', an exhaustive account of the corruption of the major institutions in England in the early nineteenth century.Wade provides an account of the legal, electoral and ecclesiastical abuses that the English political reform movement sought to abolish, with information on the finances of the East India Company, the 'Robbery of Charitable Foundations', 'Press-Restriction Bills' and the profits of the bank of England.The work quickly sold fifty thousand copies, and saw numerous further volumes and editions published.With the inscription of John & Bennett Drapers to the front pastedownA smart copy of a work widely viewed to be the 'The Bible of the Reformers'. In a full calf binding. Loss of leather to back strip head and tail, with significant rubbing to board perimeters. Joints starting, with boards holding firm. Inscription to front pastedown. Internally, firmly bound. Significant spotting and occasional foxing throughout, most concentrated to first few leaves. Good