Speculations Literary & Philosophic
By Thomas De Quincey
Published by James Hogg & Sons: London c1859 (undated)
Parliament Of Victoria Library Bindings
"Speculations Literary and Philosophic, with German Tales and Other Narrative Papers brings together a characteristically varied selection of writings by Thomas De Quincey, the celebrated English essayist best known for Confessions of an English Opium-Eater. Moving between literary criticism, philosophy, history, politics, biography and imaginative narrative, the collection displays De Quincey's formidable learning, elaborate prose style and gift for combining serious argument with anecdote, irony and vivid observation.
Its contents include the travel and historical essays "Ceylon" and "The King of Hayti"; the important personal and literary recollection "Coleridge and Opium-Eating"; "Toilette of the Hebrew Lady"; discussions of temperance, Christianity and political movements; and critical observations concerning Milton, Southey, Landor, Godwin, Foster and Hazlitt. The volume concludes with "Falsification of English History," while its accompanying narrative papers demonstrate the breadth of De Quincey's interests beyond the autobiographical writing for which he is chiefly remembered.
Published in London and Edinburgh by James Hogg & Sons as a Stereotype Edition, this undated volume dates from approximately 1859. Of particular interest is its distinguished Australian institutional provenance: it is bound in full brown leather for the Library of the Parliament of Victoria, with raised spine bands, contrasting black title labels, gilt ruling, marbled endpapers and the Parliamentary Library's crowned seal impressed upon the front cover. Further embossed library stamps appear internally, making this an attractive mid-Victorian edition with a strong and readily identifiable connection to the early intellectual and governmental history of colonial Victoria."
Light wear to the covers and spine. Outer spine replaced retaining original Parliament Of Victoria covers. No inscriptions. No loose pages. Pages clean and well presented. An excellent copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Size 19cm x 13cm x 2cm - 333 Pages
