Yeast : A Problem

Y E A S T :

A Problem.

By :

CHARLES KINGSLEY

________

LONDON :

JOHN W. PARKER

M DCCC LI.

DESCRIPTION

First Collated Edition

Riviere Binding

(ii) + vi + 379pp + (ii)

Books measure 185mm x 130mm approximately.

Nicely bound by Riviere full medium brown calf. Spine with five gilt-ruled bands with gilt motif and decoration to compartments and red and dark purple title and author labels, and date in gilt to spine foot. Twin gilt fillet borders with cornices to both boards, and further gilt inner dentelles. Marbled paste-downs and end-papers. All page edges marbled.

CONDITION

The binding is in very good general condition and holding very firm. Boards and spine exhibit a few random general marks, light rubbing to hinges, light knocks to edges, some surface scratches, with just light bumping to board corners, and one very minor loss of leather to front board edge (a 2mm patch). A few very small chips to spine bands and some loss of leather to date label.

Internally the paginated pages are generally very clean with occasional light marginal toning. Only the end-papers and title page exhibit some spots and light foxing. Some slight losses to front end-paper marbling along hinge section. Previous owner bookplate central to front paste-down.

Please always refer to photo images for a clearer indication of condition.

We are always happy to provide further photo images if required.

INTERESTING

Charles Kingsley (1819 to 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, and was a friend and correspondent of Charles Darwin.

He was educated at Bristol Grammar School before studying at King's College London and the University of Cambridge. In 1844 he became Rector of Eversley in Hampshire. In 1859 he was appointed chaplain to Queen Victoria, and in 1860, he became Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge, and in 1861 a private tutor to the Prince of Wales.

Kingsley's interest in history is shown in several of his writings, including The Heroes (1856), a children's book about Greek mythology, and several historical novels, of which the best known are Hypatia (1853), Hereward the Wake (1865) and Westward Ho! (1855).

Motivated by his strong convictions as a Christian Socialist Kingsley wrote Yeast as an attack on Roman Catholicism and the Oxford Movement, on celibacy, the game laws, bad landlords and bad sanitation, and on the whole social system insofar as it kept England's agricultural labourer class in poverty. The title was intended to suggest the "ferment of new ideas".

Yeast was first published in instalments in Fraser's Magazine, starting in July 1848. In 1851 it first appeared in volume form.