Dick's Games of Patience: Solitaire with Cards

This is an antique, early edition of "Dick's Games of Patience ~ or, Solitaire with Cards" edited by William B. Dick. 1884; Dick & Fitzgerald; New York. First Series - "New Edition, Revised and Enlarged, Containing Sixty-Four Games." Illustrated with 50 "tableaux." There is an "Explanation of Terms" section at the front, and a six page publisher's catalog at the back.

From the Preface: "There is a charm and solace about Solitaire which is beginning to be more generally and deservedly appreciated. It affords an attractive pastime and a grateful relief when overtaxed by too assiduous application to business or study; it serves to fill up idle hours, and to soothe the unrest of the unfortunate victim of insomnia. To aid in disseminating and popularizing this interesting branch of amusement, this little work has been prepared with the greatest care and with a special view to perspicuity of description and detail; a number of the games have been arranged and adapted from Lady Adelaide Cadogan's elegant English work on Solitaire, with the addition of numerous games of American origin; and the completeness and accuracy of the work have been greatly enhanced by the kindness and cooperation of some of the most expert devotees of Solitaire. The first edition of this work contained forty-four games and thirty-three tableaux. In this new issue the original games have been subjected to thorough revision, and still greater variety attained by the introduction of twenty additional games and seventeen new tableaux."

Condition:
Clean covers and spine. Bright gilt on the front cover and spine. Tiny cloth tears at the top and bottom edges of the spine, and at the cover corner tips. Tight binding. There is a small hole through the paper at the top edge of page 5. Page 92 has 6 lines of neatly written old handwriting at the bottom edge; pages 15 and 51 each have a notation written in pencil and pen above the chapter title; page 80 has some light foxing at the bottom edge...the pages are otherwise clean. Name/address written in old pencil handwriting on the front end paper. Overall the book is in Very Good- condition.