1851 Rambles Beyond Railways; or, Notes in Cornwall Taken A-Foot

Description

First Edition, Illustrated, Leather Binding, Signed Binding, Uncommon

The first edition of this uncommon work.

Issue points present: Page 93, line 13: 'the' lacking before window; page 97, third to last line: printed 'quartett' instead of quartet, and with 'Foey' incorrect in last line; page 100, line 7: with 'downfal' instead of downfall, and 'Foey' to line 8; page 176, raised full-stop at end of line 1; page 217 with 'e' in stretching printed faintly in line 2.

Bound by Riviere & Son. 

Illustrated with a tinted lithograph frontispiece, and eleven tinted lithograph plates.

Collated, complete.

An early publication by Wilkie Collins, only his second published work, following his 1848 'Memoirs of the Life of William Collins', and his 1850 novel 'Antonina'.

'Rambles Beyond Railways' is a charming topographical work, narrating Collins' walking tour undertaken in 1850 with his artist friend, Henry C. Brandling, who contributed illustrations to this volume.

Along this two hundred and thirty four mile tour, Collins' takes notes of local history, legends, Cornish society, and vivid descriptions of the scenery. He also notes his seeing the prehistoric remains Cheesewring and the Hurlers, stating "If a man dreams of a great pile of stones in a nightmare, he would dream of such a pile as the Cheesewring." 

Bookplate of W. A. Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey to the front paste down.