Chesterfield's Letters - Letters Written by the Late Right Honorable Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, to His Son Philip Stanhope, Esq.

This is an early edition of "Letters Written by the Late Right Honorable Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, to His Son Philip Stanhope, Esq.; Late Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of Dresden" (more commonly known as "CHESTERFIELD'S LETTERS"). 1779 2nd American edition; John Mycall for John Boyle, and J.D. McDougall of Boston; Newburyport. "Together with His Lordship's Life, and an Account of His Son; The Art of Pleasing, and Addition Series of Letters; Some Poems; and Several Other Pieces on Various Subjects." Volume II only (of a 2-volume set). Leatherbound. Page 270 is incorrectly printed as "702" and page 233 is incorrectly printed as "133." As a handbook for a gentleman's worldly success in the 18th century, the letters give perceptive and nuanced advice on all aspects of life and manners of the time.

Condition:
Damaged top of spine, wear to the bottom of the spine; pieces of leather missing front the top-right corner of the front cover and the top of the spine; worn, rounded corners. Lacking front end paper. The volume # label on the spine is missing. Tight binding with no loose pages; the covers are firmly attached. 2" tear at the outer edge of page 38. Large stain at the top of the title page that continues to page 13, then gets gradually smaller and disappears around page 109. The pages are age-toned with consistent light foxing. The rear end paper has numerous names written in pen and pencil in old handwriting; names appear on some random pages as well.