THE REMINISCENCES AND RECOLLECTIONS OF CAPTAIN GRONOW IN 2 VOULMES -

The R S Surtees Society, 1984. First Thus . Hardcover. Good/No Jacket. Previous owners inscriptions: No. Book Condition: Good+, a few marks to covers. Jacket condition: No jacket. Published: 1984 and 85. 1st Edition: Yes in this edition. Pages: 343 and 351. Description: Brown cloth covers, with heraldic device on front cover. Captain Rees Howell Gronow (1794-1865) enjoyed a successful military career--being present at Waterloo--spent a brief sojourn in debtor's prison, pursued politics fruitlessly, and enjoyed great success as a dandy, glabler, and socialite in London and Paris. Volume I: Being "Anecdotes of the Camp, the Court and the Clubs at the close of the last war with France" and "Recollections and Anecdotes." This volume includes 17 color plates. Volume II: Being "Celebrities of London and Paris" and "Last Recollections." This volume includes 13 color plates. In this final volume we again meet many old friends, Byron and Brummel, the Duke, the outrageous Dan Mackinnon, the habitués of Almacks and the Army of the Peninsula. There are amusing descriptions of life in Paris, French manners and French cooking, and he gives a first-hand account of the coup d'etat of 1851. He returns often to his favorite themes of the Napoleonic Wars and Regency London, and there is a full supporting cast, drawn both from the beau monde and the demi-monde, of emperors, actresses, dandies, lunatics, etc., including some "shocking bad hats". Additional postage outside UK.