Selections from the Correspondence of J X Merriman [1841-1926] (4 vols): 1870-1890, 1890-1898, 1899-1905, 1905-1924)

From the Preface to Vol 4: 

• "[This volume] deals with the final two phases of Merriman's long career. The first of these was from 1906 to May 1910: the period of Merriman's greatest political achievement, in which he became the Cape's last and perhaps most distinguished Prime Minister and was chief maker (with Smuts) of South Africa's Union. The second was his brilliant epilogue as 'candid friend' - and formidable critic - of the Botha Government, and 'father of the Union Parliament'. The dividing point was the choice of Botha as the first Prime Minister of South Africa: in Merriman's words (1917): 'my ejection from the post that in the natural course of events I should have occupied'. He did indeed have the stronger claim . . . "

Full-bound in oatmeal cloth-boards with blue design to the upper panels and blue lettering to the spines, plain endpapers, 4 frontispieces showing Merriman in 1887, 1892, 1904 and in old age, and many other plates and sketch-maps, and xxii + 318, xvi + 349, xiv + 495, xvi + 327 pp of text, bibliography and indexes.   

CONDITION. The set is complete and unmarked. However, in Vol 2 the b/w text of pp 344 and 345 and two later pages are overprinted with repeats of earlier pages in red: this is a curiosity rather than a real distraction.