The Intimate Letters of Hester Piozzi and Penelope Pennant 1788-1821

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Near Fine, 1st ed, 1914, 30 pls. In a superb full green calf, gilt edge tooling by Zaehnsdorf, edges brushed. Spine, raised bands, decorative gilt tooling, gilt titles. Internally, half title, tissue guarded frontis, [6], (vii-xiii), [3], [1], 2-396 pp, 30 pls, gilt tooling to board edges and turn ins, signed by binder, t.e.g., remainder uncut, green marbled endpapers, bookplate of Ll G. Goadby-Griffiths to fpd. (Folio, 142* 219 cms). Piozzi [née Salusbury; other married name Thrale], Hester Lynch, (1741-1821), received tuition in philosophy, rhetoric, and Latin from Dr Arthur Collier, and in French literature from Dr William Parker. Collier's taste for the speculative and the combative exercised a formative influence upon the growth of his pupil's mind, and his circle of friends, including Sarah Fielding, to whom he had taught Greek, and James 'Hermes' Harris, encouraged her literary endeavours, which were frequently sent to the London newspapers. Her early poems, like her translations from the Romance languages, demonstrate an intriguing blend of imitation and individuality. See ODNB.