YORKE, Philip Earl of Hardwicke, “Athenian Letters: Or, The Epistolary Correspondence of An Agent of the King of Persia, Residing at Athens During the Peloponnesian War”, London, T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1798. COMPLETE in Two (2) Volumes. Large 4to (32.5 x 25 cm), pp. lxii, [2], 436 + xv, [1], 466. Including two frontispieces, 1 folding map of Greece and 12 full-page engraved plates (Blackmer’s copy with 9 of the 12 plates) – portraits of Alcibiades, Pericles, Herodotus, Thucydides, Socrates, Aristophanes, Sophocles, Democritus, Aspasia, Hippocrates, Nicias & Euripides.

A collection of fictitious letters describing Athens during the Peloponnesian War, written by Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, his younger brother Charles Yorke, and ten of their friends/authors. The work was previously only privately published, firstly in 1741 & 1743 (just 12 copies) and then in 1781 (100 copies). This is the first edition containing the finely engraved portraits.  

Fine 19th century binding: red dyed straight grain full Morocco, spine divided in six entirely finished panels with raised bands, gilt paneled covers, all edges gilt and gilt turn-in decorations around the edges.

Two ex-libris labels on paste-down and free end papers of both volumes, one armorial of “J.R. Aldy Esq. Albyns” and “Βιβλιοθήκη Σπ. Λοβέρδου” in gilt.

Edges and joints lightly rubbed, few bumped spots and scratches on covers, some sheets soiled, light occasional spotting.

Blackmer 1859