Our English Minsters: First Series

London: Isbister & Company, n.y.. Hardcover. Illustrations by Herbert Railton and others. 8vo. Red cloth with ornate gilt lettering. 351pp. Frontispiece, numerous line drawings. Very good. Faint edgewear, mainly at head of spine, though internally bright and near fine. A tight and attractive first edition of the "First Series" of these sketches of seven large important English churches, each penned by a noted cleric of the day. Farrar himself contributes the first chapter on Westminster Abbey, and others included are Canterbury, Durham, Wells, Lincoln, Winchester and Gloucester. This copy bears a choice autograph addition: Tipped to the front flyleaf is an envelope addressed in Farrar's hand and enclosed in it an Autograph Letter Signed from him, 4pp, 4" X 6" (lettersheet), Westminster, n.y. [postal cancellation 3 December 1878]. Addressed to Edward Daniell (1807-92), English bookseller, printseller and publisher. Near fine. "I have no personal connexion of any kind with the proposed Stores & have not yet ever intended to have, the smallest pecuniary interest in them. I have not taken even a single share. I was not asked whether I approve of an endeavour to give to the clergy a part of the benefits derived by members of the profession from cooperative stores; & of such an endeavour I saw no reason whatever to disapprove. With the whole question of commerce I never thought of entering, as I have never made it a study nor am I aware that Stores do any injury to any tradesman who adopt the same principles." Boldly and sloppily penned and signed in brown ink. Farrar (1831-1903) was a Church of England cleric, scholar and writer long associated with Westminster Abbey and later Dean of Canterbury as well as chaplain in ordinary to the royal household; he was a friend of Charles Darwin's, served as one of his pallbearers, preached his funeral sermon and was instrumental in getting him buried at Westminster Abbey. Sharp copy, with giltstamping bright and lovely.