Title: Marriage rites, customs, and ceremonies, of ...
Publisher: London : Printed for Chapple and Son, Pall-Mall, Andrews, New Bond-Street, J. Bumpus, Holborn, and E. Barrett, Bath, Printed by T. Hamblin, Garlick Hill, Thames Street
Publication Date: 1822
Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Good
Edition: 1st Edition
viii, 400 pages, 1 unnumbered variant engraved frontispiece plate (normally "A Greek Lady in her Bridal Habit" Published by Bumpus, 1922. Harvard University has a variant plate of "A Spanish Cavalier Serenading his Mistress" by J.Smith), "Mode of Espousal in Guinea" published by J.Smith No. 14 Cross Street, Newington. Scattered foxing. A few leaves imperfectly trimmed. 14 x 22 cm. Contemporary cloth backed marbled boards. Hinges split and weak at top section of front board. Spine with original printed label-slightly chipped- (rubbed and slightly worn). Boards rubbed, edges and corners worn. First edition of this captivating and early investigation of the legal status of women in ancient and modern times. "Whatever might give offence to delicacy has, in the following pages, been carefully avoided" (Preface). The author's only published work from what we can surmise from holdings in NUC. In the preface the author argues that "Philosophically considered, there is but little inequality in the conditions of the two sexes. They are born, sustained, and die in the same manner. Education makes a distinction.The superior force of the male is rather muscular that internal." However, the conclusion reached based on the marriage rites of other parts of the globe, is that English women have nothing to complain about, "Though the indissolubility of marriage may occasionally press hard on some deserving individuals." Includes separate chapters on marriage rites in North American and South America, highlighting the Iriquois and Huron, Massachusetts Bay ("The custom of tarrying there"), Virginia ("The story of Pocahontas"), and New Orleans ("Women of colour"). SABIN 29999. J. Smith advertised that this publication was "to be completed in 18 numbers priced 6d each, with plates". So other plates were made to be issued with the parts but have infrequently survived. Seller Inventory # 5072