Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$445.00 + shipping
Description: Early leather binding; marbled endpapers. Fair condition only. The hinges have been repaired at some time in the distant past, the front hinge with leather reinforcement, and the rear with a clear hinge. The boards are now securely attached, but the front inner hinge is open, and the binding is somewhat shaken. Leather rubbed and scuffed, with loss at the spine extremities and corners. Inked name and scribbled out name on TP. Front flyleaf detached, but present. Couple large watermarks on TP. The frontispiece is missing. There is no half-title page. Small spots on first page of preface. Closed tears in middle of both contents pages. Page edges age-darkened; soil to page tops. A bit of light soil on a few pages; else pages clean (though somewhat age-toned) , with very little foxing. ; LFH8C; 8 x 5"; 408 pages
Seller: Crossroad Books, Eau Claire, WI, U.S.A.
Price: US$2383.29 + shipping
Description: First edition, second issue without the words "Conjugal Lewdness" in the main title. Daniel Defoe (ca. 1660-1731) published this essay under the original title of "Conjugal Lewdness or Matrimonial Whoredom" (1717) before being asked to rename it for the sake of propriety. This copy shows the cancel title mounted to a stub (as it should be!) Contemporary full calf, gold-tooled filets, fleurons on boards and coat of arms of Earl Stanley on upper board, ribbed spine with gold-tooling, inner filets in gold-tooling, all edged gilt. Boards have been repaired and the spine re-laid onto the back. Internally clean and tidy throughout, with just a touch of foxing to the pages. vi, [2], 406 pp. 195 x 125mm (7¾ x 5 inches). Despite changing the title, Defoes text is unchanged. In this essay "concerning the Use and Abuse of the marriage bed", Defoe deals with contraception and compares it with infanticide, "the diabolical practice of attempting to prevent childbearing by physical preparations". He also maintains that marriage should be a state of equality and companionship, and considers the fatal consequences of clandestine or forced marriages, unequal matches etc. The coat of arms with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" are from the Earl of Derby, Edward Stanley (1799-1869), member of the Order of the Garter. Ex-libris of "G.O.M."
Seller: Harrison-Hiett Rare Books, Richelieu, France