Author: R. R. Madden; Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington
Title: The Literary Life and Correspondence of the Countess of Blessington
Description: London, T. C. Newby, 1855 . First edition. Leather. A lovely copy of the first edition of R. R. Madden's account of the life and correspondence of the Countess of Blessington. In lovely half crushed morocco signed bindings from Henry Sotheran. With a frontispiece to each volume, and a further engraved portrait to volume II. Collated, complete.The Countess of Blessington, a known acquaintance of Lord Byron, was exceedingly beautiful and an accomplished hostess who shrugged off any attempt at conventional respectability. The Countess's name has been handwritten to the title page of volume III by a contemporary owner.The rumours surrounding the relationship between her, her husband the Earl of Blessington, and Count Alfred d'Orsay was memorably treated by Michael Sadleir in his 1937 study 'Blessington d'Orsay: A Masquerade', and the biography 'The Strange Life of Lady Blessington&apos.Author Richard Robert Madden was an Irish doctor, writer, abolitionist and historian, who made the acquaintance of Lady Blessington in 1823, and remained a close friend and confidant throughout her life, with access to her papers following her death.With the armorial bookplate of R. St. M. Delius to each front pastedown.Sadleir terms this work 'indispensable to any study of the life of Lady Blessington&apos. In half crushed morocco signed bindings, with cloth covered boards. A touch of rubbing to joint heads and tails, with minor losses to leather in these regions. Armorial bookplates to front pastedowns. Internally, firmly bound. Significant spotting to blanks, with pages otherwise generally clean and bright. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: Not Stated. Very Good Indeed .

Keywords: sotheran Marguerite Gardiner Countess of Blessington lady blessington Marguerite Gardiner R. St. M. Delius Not Stated


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