Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #114 begins on 11 Apr 2024

William COBBETT (1763-1835).

Rural Rides in the Counties of Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, [etc.] ... With Economical and Political Observations

extra-illustrated with Cobbett's clipped signature.

Published: W. Cobbett, London, 1830

Edition: 1st in book form

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William COBBETT (1763-1835 ).

Rural Rides in the Counties of Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Somersetshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Hertfordshire: With Economical and Political Observations relative to matters applicable to, and illustrated by, the State of those Counties respectively.

London: [printed in Andover by B. Bensley,] published by W. Cobbett, 1830.  12mo (7 3/8 x 4 ½ins; 187 x 114mm). Wood-engraved sketch map facing p.355, 12pp. of publisher’s advertisements at end, EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED with the author’s clipped signature mounted on the title page.  (Neat repair to upper outer corner of the title, repaired tear to final leaf of adverts, some slight foxing).  

Original cloth-backed boards, original printed paper label on spine (rebacked with the original spine laid down, edges and corners slightly rubbed, loss to spine label, recent endpapers).

Provenance: ex-Sotherans, London (ink stamp to front inner pastedown).

First Edition in book form of Cobbett’s most famous work. This copy with the author’s clipped signature. Cobbett was ‘a keen social critic and a writer of the best prose in the English language" (see Gregg, A Social and Economic history of Britain, p. 281).

“In 1821 a committee proposed certain remedies to alleviate the persistent agricultural depression. Cobbett disagreed with their conclusions, and 'made up his mind to see for himself, and to enforce by actual observation of rural conditions, the statements he had made in answer to the arguments of the landlords before the Agricultural Committee'. His method was to make a series of tours on horseback up and down the land, and to publish accounts of them in the [Weekly Political] Register (they were subsequently collected and published in the book here cited)”. (Printing and the Mind of Man 294).

  • Binding Condition: acceptable
  • Overall Condition: acceptable
  • Size: 7 3/8 x 4 ½ins; 187 x 114mm
  • Sold By: Shadowrock Rare Books
  • Contact Person: Adam Langlands
  • Country: United States
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 001-860-248-1547
  • Preferred Payment Methods: Paypal, US$ checks and wire transfers, major credit cards through paypal
  • Trade Associations: AA Approved


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