Artemus Ward, His Book by [Browne, Charles F. ] - 1862

NY: Carleton, Publisher. Fair with no dust jacket; Boards heavily worn, spine cocked, contemporary . owner signature on front flyleaf, pages toned, foxed, some light soiling.. 1862. First Edition. Hardcover. Brown blindstamped cloth. Titles stamped in gilt on spine. 262, [2], 6 pp. Publisher's ads. Many comic engravings by various illustrators printed on yellow stock. A collection of humorous pieces, with a lot of dialect, misspellings, and slang that makes reading somewhat difficult for 21st century eyes. Artemus Ward was the comic alter ego of humorist and lecturer Charles F. Browne (he added the "e" to his last name after achieving fame, though the copyright page here is e-less) , whose star burned bright in the mid-nineteenth century until he died young at only age 32. This book pokes fun at the Shakers, African-Americans, women, spiritualism, Native Americans, Mormons, and President Abraham Lincoln. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall .