The Child and His Book. by FIELD (Mrs. E.M.) - 1891

Some account Of The history and progress of children’s Literature in England. By Mrs. E.M. Field, Author of “Ethne,” “Bryda,” “Mixed Pickles,” etc. London: Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. 2, Paternoster Buildings, E.C. And 44, Victoria Street, S.W., 1891. Integral wood-engraved frontispiece with tissue guard; title-page printed in red and black; head-pieces tail-pieces and decorated initial letters to the chapters throughout; three inserted plates (one double-sided); numerous illustrations in the text; pp.[viii]+356; deep green smooth cloth blocked with publisher’s monogram in black on back cover, lettered black-cased bright and dull gilt, gilt, and with short rule, gilt, on spine, lettered black-cased bright and dull gilt, and gilt, and blocked pictorially with illustration of horn-book in black, brown, and white on front cover; t.e. uncut; end-papers coated charcoal. A near-fine copy. There is no list of plates, but they are bound in to face pp.175, 297, and 324/5. Pp.347 to 356 are occupied by an Index. Loosely laid in to this copy are two contemporary reviews, from one of which we quote: “Mrs. Field takes a very thorough survey of the English child’s book in all ages from the Boëthius of the sixth century down to the “Child’s Guide to Knowledge” of the nineteenth, and in the course of her study gives us an entertaining and in many ways novel picture of child-life during the interval.” All books listed by Robert Temple are first editions unless otherwise stated.