The Pleader's Guide: A Didactic Poem in Two Books. First American Ed

Anstey, John

Publication Date: 1803

About this Item

Copy of the First American Edition of a Classic Legal Satire with an Interesting Massachusetts Provenance [Anstey, John (bap. 1757, d. 1819)]. The Pleader's Guide, A Didactic Poem, In Two Books, Containing the Conduct of a Suit at Law, With the Arguments of Counsellor Bother'um, And Counselor Bore'um, In an Action Betwixt John-a-Gull, And John-a-Gudgeon, For Assault and Battery, At a Late Contested Election. By the Late John Surrebutter, Esq. Special Pleader, and Barrister at Law. Philadelphia: Printed by Samuel Akerman, For James Humphreys, 1803. Two parts in one volume, each with title page. 70; 81, [1] pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5"; 21.5 x 12.5 cm). Contemporary tree calf, gilt fillets and lettering piece to spine. Light rubbing to boards, moderate rubbing and faint gatoring to extremities, chipping to spine ends, joints starting at ends, corners lightly bumped and worn, faint offsetting and light foxing to endleaves, later presentation inscription, from Henry J. Harrison to Samuel Cutler, dated 1935, to front endleaf. Moderate toning to interior, occasional light foxing. A very good copy. $500. * First American edition. The law of procedure and pleading gave rise to a certain amount of humorous and satirical literature. First issued in London in 1796, The Pleader's Guide is among the finest examples. Holdsworth, who discusses it at length, is among the many scholars, jurists and other readers who hold it in high regard. The first part satirizes the procedural quirks of common and civil lawyers. The second part deals with pleading and the conduct of cases in court. Anstey, an English poet and barrister of Lincoln's Inn, was the son of Christopher Anstey [c.1757-1819], one of the greatest satirical poets of the eighteenth century. The later inscriber and recipient were residents of Chelsea, Massachusetts. Samuel Cutler [1866-1936] was the presiding judge of Chelsea District Court. A search of historical records locates a Henry Jervis Harrison [1873-1940] who was a police lieutenant there. Holdsworth, History of English Law XIII:460-463. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 5147.

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Pleader's Guide: A Didactic Poem in Two Books. First American Ed
• Publication Date: 1803
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Seller catalogs:
  • Antiquarian & Scholarly