Chrysal: Or, The Adventures of a Guinea: By An Adept; A New Edition, To Which Is Now Prefixed A Sketch Of The Author's Life Embellished With Plates

Johnstone, Charles

Published by Printed For Hector M'Lean, London, 1821

About this Item

viii, 319; [iv], 321; [iv], 326 pages. 21.5 x 13.5 cm. 15 hand-colored plates engraved by Maddocks, E. F. Burney, and W. Read. The first edition was published anonymously in 1760 and a runaway success. The novel is set roughly during the period of the Seven Years' War (1757-63). Irish by birth, descended from a branch of the Johnstone's of Annandale, Dumfriesshire, this was his chief work. The book pretended to reveal political secrets, and to expose the profligacy of well-known public characters. It soon attracted attention as "the best scandalous chronicle of the day." [see: DNB]. ALLIBONE Vol.I, p.985. "Sir Walter Scott said, `We may safely rate Charles Johnstone as a prose Juvenal." LOWNDES 477. "A masterly but caustic satire." SABIN 36391. Bookplate front cover pastedowns. Wide text margins, interior contents bright and clean. Bound in contemporary brown full diced calf, boards decoratively ruled in gilt, spines ruled, tooled and lettered in gilt, marbled edges, plain blue endleaves. Near fine. 3 Vols.

Seller Inventory # 24289

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Chrysal: Or, The Adventures of a Guinea: By An Adept; A New Edition, To Which Is Now Prefixed A Sketch Of The Author's Life Embellished With Plates
• Publisher: Printed For Hector M'Lean, London
• Publication Date: 1821
• Binding: leather_bound
• Edition: New Edition.
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