GREEN PEAS, PICKED FROM THE PATCH OF INVISIBLE GREEN, ESQ. Illustrated by John McLenan

New York and Cincinnati: Livermore & Rudd; Moore, Wilstach, Keys, & Overend, [1856]. First edition. New York: Livermore & Rudd; Cincinnati: Moore, Wilstach, Keys, & Overend, [printed by William Overend, Cincinnati, c.r. 1856]. 12mo. 311 pages. [10] pages publisher's illustrated ads (Livermore & Rudd) including a full-page ad for the present work. Illustrated with title page vignette and woodcuts in the text. Original embossed dark blue cloth stamped in gilt on the spine. 20 x 14 cm. Extremities worn, moderate soiling to the cloth, spine cocked, but sound and with hinges intact. Scattered foxing, heavy in a few places; several leaves with shallow chips to fore-edge; one closed marginal tear; several corners creased. Good only, but scarce in any condition. FIRST EDITION, New York issue. Perhaps preceded by a Cincinnati issue with Moore, et al. listed first in the imprint, although we can find no direct evidence as to priority. Binding variants of red and black cloth are also encountered. A series of amusing sketches of city life by a Cincinnati reporter. It is unclear to what extent the anecdotes are the invention of the author. Wright recorded the book as fiction and Sabin as Americana. However, the stories are purportedly based on actual persons and episodes observed by Crippen during his career as a newspaperman (see pref.). One bona fide historical event described here was the author's balloon ride with French aeronaut, Eugène Godard in Oct. 1855. In "Invisible Among the Clouds," Crippen provides a vivid account of the ascent, which ended with a crash, the ejection of Godard and his passengers from the basket, and several injuries. Many of the pieces describe scenes in the police house or courtroom. These include three stories of proceedings against African Americans ("An Ethiopian at the Bar," "A Rich Trial," and "Happy"). Relations between husband and wife are dealt with in "Wearing the Breeches: or Woman's Rights Illustrated" and "The Reign of Petticoats." A visit to a clairvoyant is described in "Invisible Calls Upon the Fortune-Tellers." This was the first and only book by William G. Crippen (1820-1863), a longtime reporter for the Cincinnati "Times". During the Civil War, he served as a special correspondent for the "Times" in western Virginia. (See Andrews, "The North Reports the Civil War", pp. 112-113). The book also provides an excellent representation of the comic work of American illustrator, John McLenan (1827-1865). "Discovered by DeWitt C. Hitchcock working in a pork-packing establishment in Cincinnati and making drawings on the tops of barrels, McLenan became one of the most prolific of our early illustrators. He illustrated many English novels for Harper's such as 'The Woman in White,' 'Tale of Two Cities,' 'Great Expectations,' etc. He was also well known as a comic draftsman. His work will bear comparison with the best of his time [and] undoubtedly influenced many of the younger men of the time and played a real part in the development of American illustration." --Sinclair Hamilton, "Early American Book Illustrators and Wood Engravers," p. 180 and xli. Hamilton 1058. See Wright II, 659 (Cincinnati issue). Sabin 17509. …