Instructive Rambles in London, and the Adjacent Villages. Designed to amuse the mind, and improve the understanding of Youth. By Elizabeth Helme.

HELME, Elizabeth (1787-1814).

Published by London, Longman, 1800.

About this Item

Third Edition. in contemporary mottled (almost tree-) calf, tear in the leather of the lower board repaired, flat spine gilt in compartments, red morocco label lettered in gilt, ownership inscriptions of Miss Louisa Birch,Edward Birch, West Hackney and a third inscription obscured by remnants of sealing wax, more sealing wax splodges on the lower pastedown. 12mo (170 x 95 mm), engraved frontispiece and pp. xii, 61, [4], 62-68, 73-284, with a further engraved plate, text fairly browned and creased, with some scattered staining, A popular tour through London presented through the fictional device of a father, a merchant, showing his eleven year old son, Charles and his nine year old daugther, Mary, around some of the more interesting and historical sights of London and its environs. The whole is designed to blend instruction with amusement and to bring the young readers to an appreciation of study, industry, charity and duty to parents. The behaviour of Mr Richardon?s children varies as the book progresses, such as when Mary is prevented by her earlier idleness from joining her father and brother on their tour of Lambeth Palace and learns a valuable lesson through her grief at being left behind. The Lambeth Palace chapter is particularly interesting for its information about the library, its origins in 1610, the deposit of the books at Cambridge during the Civil War and the extensive collection in the manuscripts library. Other chapters focus on musicians, beggars, a virtuous poor woman, the importance of needlework and hard work as set against the dangers of idleness and the indulgence of bad character in children. Other visits include Greenwich, the Tower of London, St. Paul?s Cathedral and the Royal Exchange. As is hoped will be the effect on Mrs Helme?s readers, Mr Richardson?s children grow in understanding, charity and virtue as a result of their father?s tour and their discussions with him. First published in 1798, with a second edition in 1799, this little work remained popular well into the nineteenth century. The work was so well received that Helme published a continuation, Instructive Rambles Extended, in 1800.

Seller Inventory # 3977

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Instructive Rambles in London, and the Adjacent Villages. Designed to amuse the mind, and improve the understanding of Youth. By Elizabeth Helme.
• Publisher: London, Longman, 1800.
• Binding: Hardcover
• Seller catalogs:
  • English Literature