Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. by E. Somerville and Martin Ross, with Plate and Line Illustrations by Somerville. hardcover Reissue Published by Longmans, Green & Co. in 1910. Comic Situations Between Anglo-Irish & Rural Irish at the start of the 20th Century. OP

"Further Experiences of an Irish R. M. " written by by E. Œ. Somerville and Martin Ross in 1908 is a subsequent follow-up to the previously published "Some Experiences of an Irish R.M." (1899). The copy here offered is a reissue, published by Longmans, Green & Company in 1910. It retained the excellent illustrations (both textual line drawings and plate illustrations) by E. Œ. Somerville. E. Œ. Somerville was Edith Anna Œnone Somerville; and Martin Ross was Violet Florence Martin. The two women were best life-long friends and , together, they wrote a great many stories, some of them, such as the Irish R.M. stories, were gathered into compilations and presented, appearing almost like episodic novels. An R.M. was the abbreviation for Resident Magistrate, which position was established as a sort of 'guiding hand' from the colonial power, officiating in courts and other local affairs. The position was taken by individuals of suitable class who had sufficient knowledge of the law. The Irish R. M. stories focus on the character Major Yeates, who has retired from British military service and taken the position of R. M. in a rural Irish community - this circa 1897. The books were immensely popular and an Irish television series starring Peter Bowles was created in the 1980s, closely based on the books. TITLE : Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. AUTHOR : E. Œ. Somerville (Edith Anna Œnone Somerville, 1858 - 1949) -- and Martin Ross (Pseudonym of Violet Florence Martin (1862 - 1915) ILLUSTRATOR : E. Œ. Somerville IMPRINT : Longmans, Green and Co. PLACE : London DATE : 1910 EDITION : Reissue (so stated) [Likely Third Edition - my estimation] STATUS : Longmans, Green edition OP - J. M. Dent edition OP. PHYSICAL DETAILS : Trade hardcover; contains numerous line drawings through the text, as well as plate illustrations (including frontispiece, which has a tissue guard); viii + 315 pages +[i] + 3 pages of publisher's promotional list; 5 1/8" x 7 3/8"; dark red cloth covered boards & spine; gilt lettering and embellishment on spine; front board has lettering and embellishment in blind; paper used for text is thick. CONDITION -- GOOD PLUS -- This is a previously owned book that has the previous owner's penciled signature , and which shows considerable signs of handling, with the following particulars noted : EXTERIOR - Spine extremities are compressed and frayed; spine surface is darkened , but lettering, etc. is still, if somewhat dulled, still quite legible; covers display surface rub, scattered smudging and various small damp stains; weathering and darkening about edges ; corners bumped, with attendant small splitting of cloth (at bottom corner tips at fore-edge). Text-block edges are considerably toned - it is obvious that the edges have been cleaned - this to acceptable effect. BINDING - the book has obviously been read. Slight lean to front; text-block slightly shaken, with cracking to hinges at various points - the leaves open widely and readily; There is evidence of mending neatly effected to the paper over the front end-paper hinge; rear end-paper hinge is solid (not split). The binding as a whole may be considered to be somewhat tender, but holding. INTERIOR - The end-papers display a slight bit of cover dye bleed at edges - this is minor and not egregious. A previous owner signed their name in pencil on the front free end-paper (M. A. Ferguson). The end-papers are toned. The tissue guard for the frontispiece is toned and has a crease. The paper throughout is considerably toned; there is a fair amount of foxing and spotting of divers form; a few leaves had been folded down - one in particular with quite a wide diagonal crease - weathering displays on the pages adjacent to the fold, running exactly along the crease; human use has further added some smudging and spotting. I must say the book has seen a lot of use, but is still quite serviceable.…