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Two volumes, Hard cover, 8vo in decorated blue-green cloth blocked in gold with an escutcheon with three lions to the front boards, ruled edges, the spines with titles and a circular embossed gold vignette of a knight on horse. Rear boards are plain. Top edge gilt. In the original blue green dust wrapper with gold titles to the spine. xii, 402pp. and viii, 412pp., including labeled tissue guarded frontispieces, a color printed foldout Railway map at rear of Volume II, and illustrated with a total of 50 monotone collotypes on heavier stock, each with a red labeled tissue guard. This was a redesign of the single-volume 1882 first edition, so second edition. **CONDITION: Fine, in Near Fine dust wrappers now in mylar protectors. Gently age toned but clean and sound. Gilt bright on both wrapper and books. First published as a single volume by Porter and Coates Philadelphia in 1882, this 2-volume edition was later released by that firm's successor, Henry T. Coates & Co., with a copyright 1899 and title page dated 1900. **Contents include ten suggested explorations by railroad, departing from either London or Liverpool, outlined for the American tourist seeking to take in the heritage, views and culture of England and Wales, or as a reminiscence to those who have already made the voyage by steamer. Stately homes, Roman ruins, fortresses, castles and abbeys and important civic buildings certainly among the recommended destinations, including two locations on Isle of Wight. But rather than a laundry list of quaint sights, Cook manages to synthesize the narrative into a broader discussion of the changes wrought over time, mentioning the important figures of politics and commerce and history. His description of the shipping, customs, dockyards and quays at Liverpool at the period of around 1880 -1900, demonstrates the extensive commercial power of Britain in this period. A really interesting read for background on late Victorian Britain. ** Philadelphia-born Author Joel Cook (1842-1910) serialized some of his travel observations in columns found in the "Philadelphia Public Ledger" and other periodicals. Cook trained as a lawyer, later becoming a journalist and correspondent for "The London Times." He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1907, and served other Philadelphia civic bodies. See also our no. 9461 for Cook's "An Eastern Tour at Home" of 1889. (AMJ)
Ref: BRIT 9795
$180.00