London: Dean and Munday, 1818. First edition in English. Original printed wraps stitched at spine. Measuring 173 x 105mm and collating complete in 58 pages with all three plates present (one of which is folding). Light chipping and soiling to wraps, with archival reinforcement along inner front hinge and upper front edge; some splitting to frontis along folds, similarly reinforced at recto. Contemporary juvenile ownership signature of Mary Mercer to verso of front wrap, else unmarked. A delicate and scarce survivor, which OCLC locates at only four libraries and which has only appeared once at auction, in 1983.

Originally published in Paris in 1809, the popularity of the English language edition of Tales to My Daughter led to multiple reprints. The selection of four didactic stories centers young women -- notably daughters -- in each. Defined by their youth and their positions within their birth families, Emmelina, Fanny, Flora, and Adelaide and Stephania make virtuous or poor choices that teach young female readers the values of generosity, humility, promise-keeping, and truth-telling. The narratives are brief, the vocabulary straightforward, and the key lessons are highlighted in italicized sentences at the end of each; all of this suggests the young age of the target readership, and the text's likely use in teaching reading as well as morality. (Item #5300)

Price: $1,250