Extracts, Doctrinal, Practical, and Devotional

In a Fine Contemporary Blind-Stamped Morocco Binding Presentation Copy Inscribed by the Editor, Joseph Fry MONRO, George. FRY, Joseph (editor). Extracts, Doctrinal, Practical, and Devotional. From the Writings of George Monro. London: William Darton and Son, 1836. First edition of this selection. Octavo (8 5/16 x 5 1/4 inches; 212 x 133 mm.). viii, 412 pp. Full contemporary plum morocco, covers elaborately decorated in blind with a broad ornamental border enclosing a large central panel of scrolling foliate and floral decoration, spine decoratively tooled in blind and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt. A particularly attractive example of an early Victorian blind-stamped morocco binding. A near fine copy. Presentation copy, inscribed by the editor Joseph Fry at the head of the title-page: "Raymond & Louisa Polly with the most affectionate love of the Editor" The inscription is especially pleasing in conjunction with the unusually handsome presentation binding and strongly suggests that the volume was prepared as a personal gift from Fry. Joseph Fry compiled the present volume from the writings of George Monro (or Munro), M.A., Vicar of Letterkenny in Ireland, selecting passages that he considered particularly valuable for their doctrinal, practical, and devotional character. A contemporary account of Fry's life specifically records that he had long been interested in Monro's writings, made extracts from them, and offered his compilation to William Darton & Son. It also quotes Fry's preface, in which he explains that his own reading of Monro had proved spiritually important to him and that he published the selection in the hope that it might similarly benefit others. Fry recorded on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1836, his hope that the work would be "bless[ed].to the good of many." SAS-Space That background gives the presentation inscription considerably more resonance: this was not merely a work Fry edited professionally, but evidently a publication of considerable personal and religious significance to him. George Monro was an early eighteenth-century Anglican divine whose writings concentrated particularly upon Christian conduct, education, and devotional life. His other works include An Essay upon Christian Education (London, 1712), in which he advocated the reading of Christian authors in grammar schools. The combination of Fry's affectionate presentation inscription, the fine contemporary blind-stamped plum morocco binding, and the editor's documented personal attachment to Monro's writings makes this a substantially more appealing copy than an ordinary example of this now uncommon nineteenth-century devotional work.…