DIARY ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE TIMES OF GEORGE THE FOURTH, interspersed with original letters from the late Queen Caroline and from various other distinguished persons Bury, Lady Charlotte [Attributed] Biographies & Memoirs,History & Geography,Social Sciences

In two volumes. Pp. [ii]+400+[ii]+424(last blank); demy 8vo; early half calf, worn at fore-corners, rebacked with later calf spines lettered in gilt and ruled in black, early purple diced cloth, slightly scuffed, edges lightly faded and rubbed; hinges starting, a few leaves faintly creased, occasional light foxing and soiling; Henry Colburn, Publisher, London, 1838. First edition. *Lady Charlotte Bury (1775-1861) was a daughter of John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll. She was the author of several novels, and in 1809 was appointed a Lady-in-Waiting in the household of Caroline of Brunswick, the estranged wife of George IV. Her diary, in which she detailed court life, was a best seller. It was published anonymously, but contemporary attributions to Lady Charlotte were neither confirmed nor denied. This set bears the armorial bookplate of Lady Boynton on the upper pastedowns (also upside down on the lower pastedown of Volume I), her pencilled ownership inscription ('Burton Agnes, 1839') on the upper free endpapers, and a short pencilled note probably also in her hand ('sooner or later all is known') on the title page of Volume I. Most recently from the library of David Levine, Sydney, whose book label is also on the upper pastedowns. The bookplate is presumably that of Lady Mary Boynton (nee Gray, 1787-1877), who married Sir Henry Boynton, ninth Baronet of Barmston, in 1810. The family home Burton Agnes Hall is near Bridlington, in Yorkshire.