A Letter of Genteel and Moral Advice to a Young Lady: Being A System of Rules and Informations; digested into a new and familiar Method, to qualify the Fair Sex to be useful, and happy in every Scene of Life...
London: Printed for C. Hitch... 1748. Fifth edition, “carefully revised, corrected, and enlarged by the author.”. Head of spine lightly worn, joints cracking, but cords sound. Small piece of leather worn away on back cover. Lacks front free endpaper and terminal blank. Otherwise a good, clean copy. With the bookplate of John Lawson. Contemporary calf, gilt spine with red morocco label. Twelvemo. [6]. 198 pp. Item #14770
Wilkes (1705/6-1751) was an Irish poet and theological writer, known for his works, An Essay on the Existence of God (1730), and The Mourning Muse, a Verse Elegy (1738). The present work was originally published by subscription in 1740. Jonathan Swift subscribed to twenty copies. Wilkes’s notion of female education is very limited, and he emphasizes her role as wife and helpmate. He attaches great importance to chastity and modesty.
All editions of this book are scarce. OCLC notes only a handful of copies of each of the first five editions in libraries.
Price: $450.00