You are bidding on an antique hardcover book titled An Apology for a Late Resignation: in a Letter from an English Gentleman to his Friend at the Hague. Author, though not stated on title page was Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield. This is the Second Edition, corrected. Printed in London for John Freeman. Though not stated, this would have been printed in 1748, just days after the first printing. 

Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield PC KG was a British statesman, and man of letters, and wit. He was born in London to Philip Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Chesterfield, and Lady Elizabeth Savile, and known as Lord Stanhope until the death of his father, in 1726. After being educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, he went on the Grand Tour of the Continent, to complete his education as a nobleman, by exposure to the cultural legacies of Classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to become acquainted with his aristocratic counterparts and the polite society of Continental Europe. In the course of his post-graduate tour of Europe, the death of Queen Anne (r. 1702–1707) and the accession of King George I (r. 1714–1727) opened a political career for Lord Stanhope, and he returned to England. In the British political spectrum, Lord Stanhope was a Whig, and entered government service, as a courtier to the King, by the mentorship of his relative, James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope, the King's favourite minister, who procured his appointment as Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales. (Information courtesy of Wikipedia). 

Lord Chesterfield resigned his office as Secretary of State for the Northern Department on 6th February 1748, in protest against the opposition he had encountered in his attempts to end the war on the Continent. By the beginning of April, the first edition of this work was published, the present second edition following just days later. It is now believed that Chesterfield was probably not the author, although he approved the message. According to Horace Walpole, it was written by Lord Marchmont, writing in concert with Chesterfield. In any case, what are undenibaly his views of the policy of the government were set forth "with some asperity" (DNB). Condition / Notes: This is the second edition, "corrected," of this work, and the first edition with Chesterfield's justification for his actions, which began "a War of Pamphlets" (DNB). 

Condition: This antique pamphlet is bound in recent brown cloth covers, with stamped gilt lettering on the spine. There is light rubbing to the covers. The binding is solid. The pages are hand laid paper with moderate age toning.There are blind stamps to the title and final blank, ink stamps ink stamps to recto of title, and recto of A2. There are small tears to upper margins of about 10 leaves. The outer margin of the final blank pages are chipped.

Pagination: 46 pages plus 20 blank leaves Width: 5" Height: 8".

Imagine, this book is over 250 years old!!!

This is a terrific book to add to a collection!

Super rare item from 1748!!

Great gift idea!

(Inventory: 38B)