George Hibbert (1757–1837) joined his brother’s West India merchant house in London in 1780, and quickly became its senior partner. A highly influential member of the pro- slavery lobby, he served as Alderman of London (1798–1803), MP for the rotten borough of Seaford (1806–1812), and agent- general for Jamaica (1812–1831).George’s son Nathaniel wrote the first pamphlet in this volume in an effort to undermine Henry Brougham, a prominent abolitionist politician. The second pamphlet contains George’s repudiation to a letter from the Quakers, countering their abolitionist principles on a religious basis. The third pamphlet, published when the passing of abolition looked inevitable by the Committee of West India Planters and Merchants, of which Hibbert was chairman, called for full reparations for slave holders. George Hibbert received an estimated £63,000 in compensation. As part of a cycle of profit and influence from the exploitation of slave labour, Hibbert poured his wealth into a collection of art, rare books (which included a Gutenberg bible), and botanical specimens, as well as making substantial philanthropic contributions, such as founding the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. 3 pamphlets bound in 1 volume, octavo (203 × 126 mm). Near- contemporary brown half calf, morocco label lettered “pamphlets” in gilt, marbled sides. Bookplate of Munden House, dated 1903, to front pastedown. Binding a little scuffed around extremities, first pamphlet bound without half-title, some foxing. Overall in very good condition. £1,750 [135084] 148 SMILES, Samuel. Self-Help; with illustrations of Character and Conduct. London: John Murray, 1859 First edition of the defining self-help manual, and a Victorian bestseller, espousing the virtues of self-reliance and industry both to better yourself, and as the basis of achieving social progress, rather than relying on government action or the welfare of others. The book is scarce unrestored in the original cloth and in collectable condition, as here. Octavo. Original purple cloth, spine lettered in gilt, covers blocked in blind, brown endpapers. Spine lightly sunned with slight wear at ends, splits at front joint ends but firm, minor soiling to edges, slight spotting to contents, still a very nice copy, inner hinges intact and without repair. ¶ Printing and the Mind of Man 346. £2,000 [151101]
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a very good copy in the dust jacket with a few markings to the front panel and two portions of tape-repair to verso. ¶ Clive Aslet, Villages of Britain , available online. Sharon Butler & Bert and Peggy Bundy, “Fact and Fiction: George Egerton and Nellie Shaw”, Feminist Review, 1988. £850 [113477] 147 SLAVERY – HIBBERT, Nathaniel & George. Opinions of Henry Brougham, Esq., on Negro Slavery: With Remarks. London: printed for Whitmore and Fenn, 1826 ; [bound with:] Correspondence between Mr. George Hibbert and the Society of Friends, [no place: no printer, 1833] ; [and:] British Colonial Slavery [no place: no printer, 1833] First editions of three anti-abolitionist publications, the family copies of George and Nathaniel Hibbert, who authored or were involved with each work, with the bookplate of their Munden House estate, and the first pamphlet with the ownership signature of Nathaniel’s wife, Emily, who, intriguingly, came from an abolitionist background: her father Sydney Smith (1771–1845) was a prominent opponent of slavery in his role as Dean of St Paul’s (see item 103).
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Peter Harrington
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