Four Years in the Ionian Islands.

First and only edition, uncommon, just eleven copies on Library Hub; a single copy recorded at auction, the Blackmer sale. Both volumes inscribed on the front free endpapers; "Clementina L. Whittingham, from her loving father the Author, Feby. 2d. 1874"; the title pages annotated "(Written by Major-General Ferdinand Whittingham C.B.) M.S.S. sic notes added by Author. February 1874". Small quantity of neat inked notes to the text, particularly relating to the visit of the Prince of Wales to Cephalonia in 1862. Four-page letterpress biographical note on Whittingham, "abbreviated from The British Officer of the 26th July 1871" neatly tipped in at the end of volume II, in which it is explained; "The General seems to have had a remarkable fancy for hiding his candle under a bushel, and this peculiarity reached a climax, when in 1864, he published his 'Four Years in the Ionian Islands'. This interesting work bears on its title-page the announcement that it is 'edited by Viscount Kirkwall,' the name of the author being altogether suppressed. We can easily understand that a regimental officer, who ventures to describe and to review the governments of successive military men of lofty rank, has powerful motives for keeping his name in the background". Whittingham was resident on the Ionian Islands from 18759-1863, most of the time he was in Cephaloiania; "Volume I contains a history of the islands under British protection; volume II is a record of Whittingham's residence, with discussions of local customs and social life, and interesting accounts of local families" (Blackmer).