Jack Downing [pseud. Seba Smith] and J. Downing [pseud. Charles August Davis]

[Sammelband] The Life and Writings of Major Jack Downing, of Downingville, away down east in the state of Maine [WITH] Letters of J. Downing, Major, Downingville Militia, Second Brigade, to his old friend, Mr. Dwight, of The New-York Daily Advertiser

Boston: Lilly, Wait, Colman, and Holden, 1834. Very Good. Item #25022

Two volumes in one; thick 12mo; contemporary half black morocco over marbled boards, gilt-lettered spine in five compartments. Minor scuffing to extremities, long closed vertical tears across pp. 201/2 and 237/8 of the first title affecting text without loss of meaining, textblock uniformly finger-soiled, mid-20th century ownership rubberstamp to front pastedown, else Very Good. Contents as follows:

1. [Seba Smith.] "The Life and Writings of Major Jack Downing, of Downingville, away down east in the state of Maine." Boston: Lilly, Wait, Colman, & Holden, 1834. Second Edition. 260pp.; frontispiece and nine (9) leaves of plates. WRIGHT I 2468.

2. Charles Augustus Davis. "Letters of J. Downing, Major, Downingville Militia, Second Brigade, to his old friend, Mr. Dwight, of The New-York Daily Advertiser." Third Edition with added plate titled "Political Portrait of Major Downing." New-York: Harper & Brothers, 1834. Frontispiece and eight (8) leaves of plates printed on yellow stock; ix,[1],270,[10]pp. BAL 4495; WRIGHT I 827.

Series of satirical letters published by two different authors, though the Downing pseudonym was first introduced by Seba Smith (1792-1868) in a series for the "Portland Courier" in 1829. Fictitious in content, the letters included a real-life cast of characters, among them Presidents Martin Van Buren and Andrew Jackson, the latter to whom the first title is dedicated.

Price: $150.00