This wonderful little geography book was authored by Sir Richard Phillips, a radical politician as well as a book-seller and collaborator with Benjamin Tabart. The Rev. J. Goldsmith was a pseudonym, frequently used by Phillips. It contains seven copper-engraved folding maps and 12 additional plates that include a handsome volvelle as the frontis. The beautifully engraved title page features a vignette of a young geography student studying his lesson while perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The text is filled with facts and opinions about the countries of the world, geographical and astronomical definitions and questions, and a Vocabulary of Proper Names. Phillips' instructions for use provide a view of what was expected of a geography student in the nineteenth century; "The proper mode of using this little book to advantage will ... be to direct the pupil to commit the whole of the facts to memory, at the rate of one, two, or three, per day, according to age and capacity; taking care, at the end of each section, to make him repeat the whole of what he has before learnt." 18 mo. Complete. Hardbound in original brown calf with gilt title on front and decorative gilt bands on spine. Published by Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green.

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Condition: A

Overall very good. Map of Europe has a 2" fold separation. Covers have some bumping to the corners, and spine is loosening. Minor shelf wear with some worm holes and sunned spine with some loss.