Pennington Rev Thomas (2 results)

Leather Bound. Condition: Very Good. No additional printings listed. 350; 297pp. Octavo [22 cm] 3/4 red leather with brown paper over boards, hubbed spines, and gilt stamped titles on the spines. All edges gilt. Spines darkened. Extremities moderately rubbed. Underlying boards peeking through at the corners. Lengthy contemporary notations in pencil on the preliminary pages of both volumes. Contemporary owner's name on the front flyleaves. Thomas Pennington was born in Deal, Kent in 1761. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1775 and was awarded the degree of B.A. in 1780. Shortly thereafter, he embarked on three continental excursions. He is also known for being an extremely active promoter of vaccination at the time.

FIRST EDITION. All blanks present. Contemporary blind-tooled morocco, gilt edges, boards somewhat faded and worn at joints, edges and corners, small stains to boards; marbled edges and endpapers, interior excellent. Inscriptions on fly-leaves of the Hon. Joshua Vanneck, and in Volume I is added "the gift of (?) Aston on leaving Eton, March, 1831." Possibly Joshua Vanneck (1778-1844), Second Baron Huntingfeld, a Tory Member of Parliament from Dunwich. First edition. Pennington, "rector of Thorley, Herts; late Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge and Chaplain to the late Countess of Bath" (from the title page) describes his travels in Europe following the end of the Napoleonic wars. He had traveled on the Continent in the 1780's, before the French Revolution, and was thus able to contrast, from personal knowledge, pre- and post-Napoleonic Europe. As an example, Chapter 2 begins with the following statement: "In spite of the Revolution and the horrors it had experienced, we found in Paris the same thoughtlessness and gaiety for which it was ever distinguished; and the rapid change of dynasties had made little change in the disposition of the people." Providing both a history and travel narrative, Pennington makes his way around Europe to Italy and up through Switzerland. His comments on everything from museums to religious practice make for a thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating read.