The Life and Services of Horatio Viscount Nelson, from His Lordship's Manuscripts. CLARKE, James Stanier, & John McArthur.

First edition thus, finely bound, with new engraved plates from the first edition of 1809. It also includes three appendices for the first time: the recollections of Tom Allen, Nelson's naval servant; Thomas Masterman Hardy, Nelson's flag captain and the dedicatee of this edition; and Lord Collingwood, the "noble fellow" who succeeded Nelson after his death at Trafalgar. Clarke and McArthur's book has been described as "one of the main foundation stones of the Nelson legend" (Cannadine, p. 99). This is the second octavo edition, preceded by the 1809 first edition and an abridged edition in 1810. The present edition was originally issued in seven parts to be bound, as here, in three volumes. Cowie 137 for the first edition; NMM II, 923. David Cannadine, ed., Admiral Lord Nelson: Context and Legacy, 2005. 3 vols, octavo (215 x 135 mm). Engraved portrait frontispieces and 33 plates (all with tissue guards), folding engraved plan of Boulogne, vignette title pages, tables in text. Contemporary deep purple morocco, spines gilt-lettered direct, raised bands ruled in gilt, compartments richly gilt, ornamental gilt panels to covers, board edges and turn-ins tooled in gilt, marbled endpapers, gilt edges, green cloth bookmarkers. Spines slightly rubbed, a few abrasions, chips, and dents to boards especially at extremities of vol. I, front inner hinge of vol. III split at foot but holding, some foxing to plates, otherwise contents clean: a very good copy.