The Particular Description of England. 1588. With Views of Some Of The Chief Towns And Amorial Bearings of Nobles and Bishops

Printed in a limited run of just 250 copies, this edition is rare and features William Smith's detailed description of England from 1588. Edited from the original manuscript housed in the British Museum, this exclusive edition includes an introduction by Henry Wheatley and Edmund W. Ashbee. Published in 1879, it is available solely for subscribers. Within, Smith meticulously unfolds the history and etymology of England's counties. His vivid descriptions encompass the characteristics and histories of key towns in each county, exploring details such as the number of churches, resemblances to other towns across England, environmental features, and the unique history of each town. Smith also offers intriguing insights into some of the 'Wonders In England,' revealing, for instance, the construction of Stonehenge by a former king of England in 470 AD to commemorate the demise of 460 nobles (refer to page 6). Complementing Smith's narrative are 28 chromolithographic plates, including two folding plates providing bird's-eye views of Norwich and London from 1588. Fine Condition. Quarter Bound in red Morocco leather with gilt titles to the spine. Contains a folding chromolithograph frontispiece and a further 28 chromolithograph plates. The binding is firm, and pages are clean with only minimal tanning and foxing. Clean of any inscriptions. Boards have very limited signs of shelf-wear and are fantastically preserved.