Recalling her past, the writer says "She was then [1767] in all bloom of eighteen, and had a face as beautiful as can be imagined; her figure could never be called a fine one, but it certainly deserved the epithet pretty; it was at that time utterly unencumbered with all that enormous mountain of fat, which it has since so unhappily collected..." No one could accuse this guidebook writer of issuing too many "unbecoming praises." Item 87 £3,000 (US $5,870).

Perhaps the British are less effusive in their praise than are the Italians. Here is another guide, An exact survey of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, by the anonymous "T.W." published in 1673. This book provides lots of information to the visitor of the Netherlands, but the preface notes, "And truly three of the hardest things in the world are, to quadrate a circle; to finde out the Philosphers Stone; and to make the Dutch grateful." Item 66. £550 (US $1,077).

Item 13, by Charles Philip Brown, was designed to help English speakers learn Kanada (or Kannada), an Indian language related to Telugu. Dialogues in Kanada and English for the use of learners provides conversations which perhaps are more interesting for their pictures of the times (1852) than for their use in learning the language. Among the phrases translated are, "What are these elephants doing here?" "Yes sir, but he proposed applying leeches," "This is the hottest day I have known since my arrival in this country," and "No sir; there has been no cholera here for a year past." £650 (US $1,272).

Item 16 is one of the earliest American schoolbooks. The book is A Short Introduction to the Latin Tongue, by Ezekiel Cheever. Cheever was a noted American educator, master of the Boston Grammar School for 38 years. When he died in 1708, his eulogy was given by the famed American theologian and witch-hunter Cotton Mather, who had studied under Cheever. This book was first printed the year after his death, while this copy is a fourth edition, the first printed in London, from 1734, "Printed for T. Cox, Bookseller, in Boston." £3,000 (US $5,870).

Samuel Gedge, Ltd., may be found online at www.samuelgedge.com. Their telephone number is +44 (0)1263 722 555, email rarebooks@samuelgedge.com.