The Tory Lover

Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, and Company, 1901. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. First edition, early state with the date of publication not noted on copyright page. Illustrated with four plates. Red cloth gilt. Very near fine. Engraved bookplate of William T. Lambert on front pastedown. Gift inscription on front fly: "William T. Lambert with love from Aunt Lucy Hale. Xmas 1901."

Tipped to the rear pastedown is a four-page Autograph Letter Signed from Lucy Hill Lambert to her nephew William T. Lambert (one sheet of mourning stationary folded to make found pages). The letter is slightly misfolded, and a few words are difficult to read where the letter is tipped down (but likely easily removable), overall near fine. The letter notes sending the book because he might be interested as he was related to the "Tory Lover" of the title, and gives some genealogical details. She also mentions encountering Sarah Orne Jewett: "Miss Jewett has made the place quite historic. She pointed out the Wallingford Household when we met her on the drive last summer. We met quite in the neighborhood and I considered myself quite fortunate that we did." She close with holiday greeting from her and Williams cousin Lucy: "yours Aunt Lucy & Lucy joins me in the seasons greetings to you both."

The author of the inscription, Lucy Hill Lambert, was the wife of U.S. Senator John P. Hale of New Hampshire and the mother of Lucy Lambert Hale, who was secretly engaged to John Wilkes Booth. In fact, the pair had dined with Booth on the night of President Lincoln's assassination, and when Booth's body was finally recovered following a massive manhunt, it the daughter's portrait that was found in his pocket. Lucy Lambert Hale died at 87 in March 1902 just three months after the included letter was written, likely a last later to the nephew, compelling its preservation in this volume.