HOFLAND [Barbara]. Mrs:

The Son of a Genius. New Edition, Carefully Revised and Enlarged by the Author.

London: John Harris..., 1832. 12mo (in 6s), 140 x 87 mms., pp. iv [5] - 252, engraved frontispiece,contemporary quarter sheepskin, marbled boards (rubbed). tilt label; corners worn and binding a bit shabby. This novel for children was to prove the author's most popular publication: Barbara Hofland [née Wreaks] (1770 - 1844) published about 60 novels in her lifetime, and most of them were reprinted at least once. "In Son of a Genius, the lesson which Hofland stresses with more urgency than any other is the importance of keeping receipts. Ludovico finds a receipt, seeks for its owner, and when he is able to return it to him, is rewarded with two guineas. This much is the conventional 'honesty rewarded' episode of so many moral tales. But Hofland goes much further. Not only does Ludovico go through the rest of the tale insisting on receipts from everyone he deals with, thereby cementing the lesson.., but Mr. Higgins, who had lost the original receipt, explains just why this piece of paper is so valuable to him" (online: https://hockliffe.dmu.ac.uk/items/0138.html). OCLC gives a pagination of vii, [1], 171, [1] p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. so this must be a different issue. Moon, M. Harris (1992),; 373(8)

John Price Antiquarian BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 10424

Catalogue: Fiction

Keywords: fiction juvenile literature

HOFLAND, Mrs. (Barbara) 1770-1844.

The son of genius; a tale, for the use of youth.

London: printed for J. Harris, corner of St. Paul's Church-yard, and Simpkins and Marshall, Stationers'-Court, 1818 new edition. 12mo in sixes. vii[i], 172pp, frontis. Original half maroon roan, red calf gilt spine label, paper sides. Binding rubbed with wear to extremes; frontis and title browned; very light occasional spotting to text. Also available with a green roan spine. Moon 374 (4); Gumuchian 3057. Moon notes that an article in the Q.R. of 1844 describes the book as 'a very beautiful tale, and in the best of this lady's numerous little books, which are mostly too much of the novelette style to recommend.' DISCOVER: Reading Univ, CUL, NLW.

John TurtonProfessional seller

Book number: 44068

Catalogue: Juvenile & Childrens

Keywords: JUVENILE & CHILDRENS Fiction Conduct of life ; Juvenile fiction. Fiction Illustrated Juvenile literature - English - 19th century. Publishers' advertisements - England - 19th century.