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The Life of John Thelwall
Mrs Thelwall [Cecil Thelwall]
1837
John Macrone : London
8.5" by 5"
xii, 477, [2]pp.
SUMMARY
Bright rebound copy of this very scarce first edition biography of John Thelwall by his widow.
Rebound,Very Scarce
Overall Condition: Very Good Indeed
This book weighs 0.75 KG when packed
UK Postage: £ 3.99
US Postage: £ 19.99
EU Postage: £ 15.99
European Postage: £ 16.99
Asia Postage: £ 21.99
Worldwide Postage: £ 25.99
DESCRIPTION
The first edition of this work. Volume one, all published. Written by Thelwall's widow, his second wife.
An extremely scarce work, rarely seen on the market, listed only in five institutional libraries including the British Library and the University of Cambridge Library. Vol. I only, a second volume was never published.
A biography of his early life written by his widow Mrs Cecil Thelwall. Illustrated with a frontispiece engraved portrait from the original bust by E. Davsis, on stone by J. C. Timbrell.
John Thelwall was a radical British orator and political reformer. Following the French Revolution Thelwall 'became intoxicated in the French doctrines of the day' (DNB). He started to give talks on revolution and the rights of man at meetings of the most radical societies in London and with John Horne Tooke, another radical, founded the London Corresponding Society being a federation of radical clubs.
Politically Thelwall promoted democratic reform, universal suffrage and freedom of speech. He has been considered the most important voice in British Radicalism.
in 1794 both he and Tooke were tried for treason together with another radical Thomas Hardy. All three were acquitted but spent time at the Tower of London.
At this point the Government considered Thelwall to be 'the most dangerous man in Britain'. Throughout this Thelwall continued to lecture and agitate, only toning down his lectures after Pitt's Gagging Acts whereupon he camouflaged his lectures with references to Ancient Rome.
In 2018 English Heritage erected a blue plaque at 40 Bedford Place in Bloomsbury where he lived and worked.
He is buried in Bath at St. Swithin's in Walcot, having died on a speaking tour trying to support his loss making journals.
CONDITION
Rebound in full cloth, renewed endpapers. Externally lovely. Embossed discreet university stamps to title page, library shelf number to contents list, with no further stamps. Minor loss to outer edge of frontispiece. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright and clean.
Overall Condition: Very Good Indeed
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Overall Condition
(Dustwrapper condition rating is shown after that for the book itself, where a dustwrapper is present)
Fine - Very well preserved copy showing very little wear
Very Good Indeed - Only one or two minor faults, really a very attractive copy
Very Good - Quite a wide term meaning no major faults but probably several smaller ones
often expected given the age of the book, but still a respectable copy
Good - Meaning not very good. Some more serious faults as will
be described in the condition report under 'condition'
Good Only - Meaning one or more faults that could really do with repair
Fair - As with good only above but with other faults
leaving a compromised copy even after repair
Poor - Really bad and possibly seriously incomplete.
We only sell books in this condition where their rarity or value makes them
attractive none the less. Major defects will be described.
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