RASSELAS

London; Edinburgh: William Miller; The Letter Press by James Ballantyne, 1805. Hardcover. Quarto, iii, 197 pages; VG; bound in period blind and gilt calf, newly rebacked with brown leather, paneled spine with a black label and gilt lettering; marbled text block and endpapers; mild rubbing and wear to boards; bookplate of the Countess of Beauchamp on the ffep; ownership stamp on sfep; with 4 engraved plates and an engraved headpiece vignette; wide margins. Shelved Room A Oversize. The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia, originally titled The Prince of Abissinia: A Tale, though often abbreviated to Rasselas, is an apologue about happiness by Samuel Johnson. Early readers considered Rasselas to be a work of philosophical and practical importance and critics often remark on the difficulty of classifying it as a novel.[1] Johnson was a staunch opponent of slavery, revered by abolitionists, and Rasselas became a name adopted by emancipated slaves. [wikipedia]. 1317131. Special Collections. (Inventory #: 1317131)