The Letter Bag of the Great Western; or, Life in a Steamer

London: Richard Bentley, 1840 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 8.5" by 5.5". None. The first edition of this collection of fictional letters by Canadian author Thomas Chandler Haliburton. The first edition of this work by the Nova Scotian politician, judge, and author, recognised as the first international best-selling author of fiction from what is now Canada.Imitating the style of Tobias Smollett's 'Humphrey Clinker', this work is arranged as a series of twenty-eight letters purporting to be written by passages aboard a Great Western steamer travelling between Liverpool, England and Halifax, Canada.Poorly received by critics, the work is noted for its crude humour.With the armorial bookplate of Justice of the Peace Sir Mervyn Lloyd Peel to the front pastedown, with his inscription to the verso of the front free endpaper. Two bookseller's catalogue clippings to the front pastedown. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Boards bright, with bumping to spine head and tail, and fading to spine. Armorial bookplate and two further clippings to front pastedown, with inscription to verso of the front free endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages exceptionally clean and bright. Very Good