New York: William Durell and Co, 1809. Leather. Good. Item #017512

Full calf leather. 276 pp., plus appendix and index. Founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, the Spectator ran from 1711 to 1712 as a daily publication, featuring a main character 'Mr. Spectator,' and his friends, through which commentary on social life in England was portrayed. The Spectator promoted philosophical and moral topics and was very popular in English coffee and tea houses. The 20th century philosopher Jurgen Habermas saw the paper as a key piece in the 'structural transformation of the public sphere,' in England (see Wikipedia entry on the Spectator for the previous information and quote). Includes work by Richard Steele, Joseph Addison, John Hughes, Thomas Tickell and others. GOOD condition. Minor fading and soiling. Moderate scuffing and wear along the extremities, with the leather spine flaking a bit. Owner's inscription on the first endpaper. Heavy foxing to the first and last few pages. General toning to the paper.

Price: $20.00