1852 Rare First Edition - The Select Tales of Hannah More, Illustrated

Author: Hannah More.
Title: The Select Tales of Hannah More.
Publisher: Boston, Frederick Charlton, 1852. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8 x 5 inches.
Pages: 311 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good stunning publisher’s red embossed cloth binding, with lavish gilt decoration to the spine and boards. The front and rear covers display an ornate design of three children supporting an abundant flower basket on a pedestal, all stamped in gilt. The spine features elaborate floral tooling and the title in gilt (overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown, front lower outer hinge slightly worn but tight - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing or staining - as shown, ownership inscriptions on the front free endpaper: "Edward E. O’Brien, Thomaston, Maine 1853" and "Edw d E. O’Brien Library #50" - as shown). 
Illustrations: Illustrated with four finely engraved plates, including a frontispiece depicting "Black Giles the Poacher" and other narrative scenes relevant to the tales. All engravings present and well-preserved.

The book: A beautifully preserved mid-19th-century First American edition of The Select Tales of Hannah More, showcasing the moral and didactic short stories that were widely read by both children and adults. Originally published as tracts, these tales—including “Black Giles the Poacher,” “The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain,” and “’Tis All for the Best”—were intended to promote Christian virtue and reform among the working classes. This 1852 Boston edition is particularly desirable for its ornate Victorian binding and quality engravings, making it a fine example of decorative publishing of the era.

The author: Hannah More (1745–1833) was a prominent English religious writer, philanthropist, and member of the “Bluestocking Circle” of intellectual women. A fierce advocate for moral reform, education, and the abolition of slavery, she used literature—particularly short moral tales and tracts—to reach a broad readership. Her works were immensely popular in the 19th century, especially in England and America, and remain significant as historical documents of religious and social movements.