Hand-book of Volapuk. The international language

New York: The Office Company; London: Trübner; Chicago: S.R. Winchell & Co, 1888. First edition, small 8vo, pp. viii, 119, [1]; original printed cream cloth slightly soiled, small snag at the bottom of the front cover, title page a little spotted and light foxing throughout; all else very good. Sprague (1842-1912) was wounded at Gettysburg and later taught at several military academies, and was the author of a number of works on military tactics. In 1870, by which time he had learned as many as sixteen languages, he turned his career to banking, where he spent the rest of his life in an influential position. He is credited with, among other innovations, the introduction of the small check book and the pass book. "Though he contributed articles on business to magazines and newspapers, he was interested also in such widely divergent matters as croquet, simplified spelling, Esperanto, Volapuk, and the revival of Gaelic" (DAB).