Samuel Smiles — Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance

London, John Murray, 1866. Leather. An early edition of the influential philosophical work that helped shape Gladstonian Liberalism, bound in full calf. An early edition of Self-Help; With Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance, the influential philosophical work promoting personal improvement, written by British author and Government reformer Samuel Smiles. Published in 1866, first published in 1859. In full calf. Selling twenty thousand copies within its first year of publication, Self-Help was a hugely popular work and would be highly influential for shaping Gladstonian Liberalism and British political thought. He wrote the book after becoming disillusioned with middle-class utopianism as a doctor and journalist, having participated in several failed corporate ventures. In full calf. Externally, mostly smart, with the odd handling mark. Slight rubbing to joints and edges. Slight fading to spine, and bumping to the head and tail, and to the extremities. A minor crack to head of front joint. Marble end papers are bright and clean. Internally, firmly bound, with minor wear to hinge between front free end paper and blank. Pages are generally bright and clean with spotting to leaf extremities. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .