[Rarebooks] FS: First American Edition of William Godwin's ST. LEON, 1801, source for FRANKENSTEIN

[Charles Agvent]

GODWIN, William. ST. LEON: A TALE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. Alexandria 
[VA]: J. & J. D. Westcott for J. V. Thomas, 1801. First American 
Edition. First published in England in 1799, this First American Edition 
is much scarcer. Two duodecimo volumes in 4s (3-3/4" x 5-7/8") bound in 
contemporary calf leather with gilt rules on the spines and burgundy 
morocco spine labels; [4], vi, 286; [2], 269, [1] pages with the error 
in paging in the first volume, page 47 misnumbered 57. Shaw & Shoemaker 
577. This early Gothic novel takes place during the Protestant 
Reformation and tells the tale of a penurious noble who finds the 
philosopher's stone and an elixir of immortality. It was a source for a 
somewhat better known novel, FRANKENSTEIN, by Godwin's daughter, Mary 
Shelley, who dedicated that book to her father. An early owner, Joseph 
H. Wingate, has written his name twice in each volume, dated 1809. There 
is also a faint, early ink stamp for J. W. Sewall on the front endpaper 
of each volume. Closed tear to first volume title page with no loss; 
text fairly clean. The boards of the second volume are split and holding 
by the cords. Overall Very Good.

Godwin's THINGS AS THEY ARE is regarded by some as the first modern 
novel. Godwin, "the philosophical representative of English radicalism" 
(DNB), also had the distinct honor of reading Thomas Paine's RIGHTS OF 
MAN in manuscript. (#017252)        $600

https://www.charlesagvent.com/pages/books/017252/william-godwin/st-leon-a-tale-of-the-sixteenth-century

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