Lectures on rhetoric and belles lettres.
London: for A. Strahan, T. Cadell, and W. Creech, in Edinburgh, 1783. First edition, 2 volumes, 4to, pp. viii, 496; [4], 550, [17] index; engraved frontispiece portrait; full contemporary calf, neatly rebacked in red and black morocco labels on gilt-decorated spines; some foxing, very good and sound. Hugh Blair (1718-1800) the famed Scots divine and professor of rhetoric was very successful with this book which "could boast ten editions in England between 1783 and 1806, not to mention the American reissues and one French (1797), one Italian (1801), and one Spanish (1816) version." (Aarsleff). He was a friend of Hume and Adam Smith, the latter of whose lectures inspired Blair in this endeavour. Alston VI, 237: "A comprehensive discussion of rhetoric and style with wide-ranging comments on language in general, and English in particular." Item #25914
Price: $1,250.00
