Books and Manuscripts

Philadelphia: Printed for H. & P. Rice; and J. Rice & Co., Baltimore, 1794. In two volumes. First American edition. 12mo. (iv), 266; 282 pp. Contemporary full brown calf, red and black morocco spine labels, stamped in gilt, front board of second volume detached, same volume's spine labels perished; boards, extremities, and joints of each volume rubbed; corners worn in each volume; headcaps of each volume worn and chipped; all edges trimmed; text leaves lightly toned, light to moderate foxing to same; front free endpaper and first 12 leaves of second volume loose; portion of upper margin of pp. 259-260 in second volume excised, not affecting text. From the library of Dr. George Smith, and with his book-plate on front paste-down of each volume; additionally with the signature of his father, Benjamin Hayes Smith (1765-1806) at head of each title-page. Evans 20571; ESTC W6752

A very rare and complete first American edition of the Arabian Nights. Translated from Antoine Galland's French edition's of 1704-1717, and featuring 50 of the classic tales, including "Aladdin and the wonderful Lamp," "The seven Voyages of Sinbad," "Ali Baba and the forty Thieves," and many more.

ESTC locates only seven institutions with copies, some being defective or lacking a volume, including: The American Antiquarian Society ("Several pages mutilated"); The Pennsylvania Historical Society; The Library of Congress; Ohio State University Library (lacking first volume); Beinecke Library, Yale University; The Cleveland Public Library ("1 volume"); Dickinson College. We can locate only one other copy selling at auction, at Henkels in Philadelphia, in 1898, where it was then catalogued as "of the upmost rarity."

Dr. George Smith (1804-82) was an American physician, historian, and politician from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1826 and was elected to the state senate in 1831. In 1832 he was appointed to the Education Committee where he drafted the Education Act of 1836 that guaranteed free public education for children throughout the state. In 1833 he cofounded the Delaware Institute of Science, and in 1862, wrote the History of Delaware County.