Alexandria: A History and A Guide.
Alexandria : Whitehead Morris Limited, 1922 Stock Code: 112539
First edition. Presentation copy, inscribed by Forster "AJB, from the author" on the front free endpaper, and with the ownership inscription of the recipient, A. J. Butler, on the front board. This is Oxford historian Alfred Joshua Butler (1850-1936), whose work The Arab Conquest of Egypt (1902) Forster cites as his main source for the period, and describes it as "a monograph of the highest merit, brilliantly written, and practically reconstructing the episode" (p. iii). He also acknowledges Butler's Ancient Coptic Churches (1884) as his source for the passage on the monasteries of Natrun, and reproduces two of his plans at pages 202 and 203. Butler appears to have then used the guide for his own purposes, the section on the Greco-Roman Museum (pp. 107-21) bearing his inked underlinings and marginal summaries of the exhibits described by Forster. Copies of the first edition are rare, as most of the print run was destroyed by fire.
Description
Octavo. Original buff paper boards, titles to spine and front board in black.
Illustrations
Engraved frontispiece, 16 engraved maps and plans to the text, double-page genealogical table, 2 folding maps, coloured folding map in pocket on rear pastedown.
Condition
Spine rolled and sunned, front joint and rear inner hinge skilfully repaired, front board slightly marked, with small bump to top edge, commensurate section of rubbing to rear board, front free endpaper browned, half-title slightly marked. A very good copy.
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