Descrizione

First Edition. This being one of an unspecified number of large paper copies, which may have been printed prior to the publication of the general trade issue. A gift presentation on the front endpaper dated "Christmas 1878" would help to assert that assumption. With an engraved frontispiece portrait of John Motley with facsimile signature. Large 8vo, publisher’s original terra cotta cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine and on the upper cover, t.e.g. vii, [i], 278 pp. A very good and well preserved copy, the cloth with very little wear and bright gilt, a little unobtrusive old staining that is very mild and one signature is a little loose.

Edizione: the large paper issue is believed to have been only 516 copies, and are thought to have been printed first. the piece was written by holmes at the request of the massachusetts historical society.<br> john lothrop motley (1814–77) was an american historian and diplomat from massachusetts who wrote a number of books and articles of importance. his rise of the dutch republic (3 vol., 1856), enjoyed great success for many years, as did his history of the united netherlands (4 vol., 1860–67). he was a diplomat of some note and carried on well in the classical tradition of massachusetts public servants. motley had spent a short period in 1841 as secretary of the u.s. legation at st. petersburg and later was minister to austria (1861–67). president grant appointed him minister to great britain in 1869.