Beschreibung:

ABELL, Lucia Elizabeth. Recollections of Emperor Napoleon during the first three years of his captivity on the island of Saint Helena: including the time of his residence at her father's house, "The Briars," by Mrs. Abell, (late Miss Elizabeth Balcombe). George Woodfall & Son for John Murray 1844. 12° extended to 4° (293 x 220mm). Each leaf mounted to size. 7pp. list of subscribers. Lithographic additional title, lithographic frontispiece, 5 wood-engraved plates, extra-illustrated with 8 original drawings (1 watercolour, 2 pencil drawings and 5 pencil and wash drawings), by various hands, most titled, some inscribed on the verso. 19th-century brown half morocco gilt by Riviere & Son, gilt edges (spine faded and slightly scuffed). ENLARGED AND EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION of Mrs. Abell's eye-witness account of Napoleon's early months on St. Helena. The original illustrations include five drawings, by a single accomplished hand working in pencil and watercolour washes, with each image presented as a vignette with a title incorporated at the foot. They are as follows: 1. 'The Briars St. Helena', pencil and brown wash, sheet size: 293 x 220mm., mounted to face the frontispiece. 2. 'Ladder Hill, St. Helena', pencil, grey and brown wash, sheet size: 194 x 145mm., mounted to face the illustration between pp.4 and 5. 3. 'The Water fall James's Valley', pencil, brown and grey wash, sheet size: 160 x 156mm., mounted to face p.104. 4. 'Lot and his Daughters, Fairy Land, St. Helena', pencil, brown and grey wash, sheet size: 293 x 220mm., mounted to face the illustration between pp.108 and 109. 5. 'The Friar Rock in Friars Valley St. Helena', pencil, brown and grey wash, sheet size: 246 x 190mm., mounted to face the illustration between pp.172 and 173. The remaining illustrations, probably by two or three separate amateur hands, are as follows: 6. 'Briars Pavilion, Country Seat of S. Solomon Esqre, St. Helena', pencil, with title beneath in ink and inscription on verso, sheet size: 166 x 114mm., mounted to face p.21. 7. [View of Briars Pavilion], unfinished pencil sketch, with inscription on verso, sheet size: 217 x 164mm., mounted to face p.26. 8. [View of ?Longwood], pencil and watercolour, with inscription on verso, sheet size: 217 x 164mm., mounted between p.93 and illustration facing p.92.