Helen Maria Williams - A Tour in Switzerland; or A View of the Present State of the Governments and Manners of those - 1798

A clean, nicely presented copy of the rare 1798 Dublin edition of Helen Maria Williams’ celebrated travel narrative A Tour in Switzerland. Williams (1759–1827) was an important writer, poet, and political commentator, noted for her radical sympathies during the French Revolution.

This Dublin printing is far less common than the London edition and includes the note:

“To which is annexed, a MAP of that Country; not in the London Edition.”
(The map is not present in this volume.)

The book has been professionally rebound in a sturdy modern green cloth binding, with new endpapers. The text block remains entirely original, retaining the lovely untrimmed / deckle edges that collectors prize.

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Contents & Highlights
• Detailed 18th-century travel account of Switzerland and the Alps
• Commentary on politics, customs, the French Revolution, and European society
• Extensive appendix with natural observations, including early descriptions of glacier movement
• Elegant typography typical of Irish printing of the period
• Final page ends with the decorative device: “Finis Coronat Opus.”

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Condition

Exterior:
• Modern cloth binding in excellent condition
• Tight, square, and clean

Interior:
• Original pages, uncut edges, good paper quality
• Occasional foxing and age-toning throughout (typical for 18th-century works)
• Small edge wear to several pages
• Occasional light staining
• Contemporary ink signature on title page
• Map not present

Overall: Very good for age, attractively rebound, text clean and legible.

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Provenance
• 18th-century ownership signature on title page
• Dublin imprint – highly desirable for collectors of Irish printing