The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby (First Edition)

Boston / New York: T. O. H. P. Burnham, 1864. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good +. 7" x 5.5" x 1. J. Noel Paton. Beautifully rebound, boards are half brown leather and marbled paper with leather corner tips. Spine is stamped in gilt lettering. Brown top stain. Speckled foredge and foot. Laid cream endpapers. Illustrated occasionally throughout with black and white illustrations by J. Noel Paton. Frontispice is a whimsical depiction of waterbabies and a fish under water. "L'ENVOI" is found on the verso side opposite the beginning of chapter 1. 310 pp. This rebound copy is absolutely lovely in bright colors and smooth leather. A very solid copy that fits nicely in hand. Some discoloration at the corners within endpapers. Lightly toned pages are occasionally foxed throughout, yet unmarked. Illustrations are delightful. A wonderful copy. Full refund if not satisfied. <br><br>ABOUT THE AUTHOR & THIS BOOK: "Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the working men's college, and forming labour cooperatives, which failed, but encouraged later working reforms. [...] Kingsley's concern for social reform is illustrated in his classic, The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby (1863), a tale about a boy chimney sweep, which retained its popularity well into the 20th century. The story mentions the main protagonists in the scientific debate over human origins, rearranging his earlier satire as the 'great hippopotamus test'. The book won a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1963." (Wikipedia).