Naples and the Campagna Felice

London: R. Ackermann, 1815. Hand Colored Plates by Thomas Rowlandson

[ROWLANDSON, Thomas, illustrator]. [ENGELBACH, Lewis, author]. Naples and the Campagna Felice In a Series of Letters addressed to a Friend in England in 1802.. London: R. Ackermann, 1815.

First edition in book form. Octavo (9 1/4 x 5 5/8 in; 236 x 141 mm). 4, 1-400, [10, index], [1, plate arrangement], [1, blank] pp. Extra engraved title, hand-colored aquatint frontispiece, thirteen hand-colored aquatint plates with tissue guards, and three colored maps (one fold-out).

Bound by Rivière & Son for John Wanamaker's of New York in half dark brown crushed morocco over brown cloth. A slight bit of wear to corners, still an excellent copy.

Originally appeared in Ackermann's Repository during 1809-1813 under the title Letters From Italy.

"The following Letters having been successively inserted in "Ackermann's Repository of Arts", under the title "Letters from Italy", the proprietor of that Miscellany, influenced, perhaps, by the opinion of partial judges, felt desirous of publishing them in a separate Volume. To this wish alone they owe their appearance in the present form, the Author being too conscious of the imperfections in his performance to have of his own accord presumed to usher it into a more extensive circulation, even with all the advantages of embellishment which it has derived from the exertions of the Publisher." (Preface).

Abbey, Travel 166, Tooley 419.