8vo (197 x 121 mm). Wood-engraved frontispiece, numerous vignettes in text; 1p. publisher's ad at end. Original blind-stamped brown cloth, gilt-lettered spine (some cockeling and a few scuffs to upper cover). Provenance: early penciled ownership signature on front free endpaper.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE with names of both the printer and the stereotyper on copyright page. "Prior to Bulfinch, literate America's knowledge of classical mythology was derived from the accurate but very dull Classical Dictionary of Professor Charles Anthon of Columbia, and from the recent Wonder-Book and Tanglewood Tales of Hawthorne, covering only a few of the myths. Bulfinch described the entire field, combining Anthon's accuracy with Hawthorne's charm..." (Grolier). Peter Parley to Penrod, p.13; Grolier American 65.