Folio Archives 140: The London Spy by Ned Ward 1955
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The London Spy by Ned Ward 1955
This book purports to be the diary of a young man who comes from the country to London for the first time in 1698, and explores the overwhelming city with the assistance of a friend.
In fact, it is written by a London publican, who was very familiar with the city, and is able to describe in detail his fictional protégé’s exploration of the city, its coffee houses, taverns, bordellos, prisons, pleasure parks, fairs, markets and palaces. As such, it is a fascinating contemporary insight into London life over 300 years ago, just after the restoration.
The 43 daily entries were initially published in serial form, but they were collected into a book in 1703, and it is that book which is reproduced by the Folio Society.
There is a four page introduction by Kenneth Fenwick.
12 contemporary prints by Hogarth and others are reproduced in the 327 page book. It is bound beautifully in quarter black cloth decorated with gold highlights and spine title, with bright red marbled boards. This dramatic binding is hidden by a rather drab monotone blue pictorial dust-jacket. The book is 22.7x14.7cm., and it was produced before the era of universal slipcases for FS books.
Back of dust-jacket
Dust-jacket infolds
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
This book purports to be the diary of a young man who comes from the country to London for the first time in 1698, and explores the overwhelming city with the assistance of a friend.
In fact, it is written by a London publican, who was very familiar with the city, and is able to describe in detail his fictional protégé’s exploration of the city, its coffee houses, taverns, bordellos, prisons, pleasure parks, fairs, markets and palaces. As such, it is a fascinating contemporary insight into London life over 300 years ago, just after the restoration.
The 43 daily entries were initially published in serial form, but they were collected into a book in 1703, and it is that book which is reproduced by the Folio Society.
There is a four page introduction by Kenneth Fenwick.
12 contemporary prints by Hogarth and others are reproduced in the 327 page book. It is bound beautifully in quarter black cloth decorated with gold highlights and spine title, with bright red marbled boards. This dramatic binding is hidden by a rather drab monotone blue pictorial dust-jacket. The book is 22.7x14.7cm., and it was produced before the era of universal slipcases for FS books.
Back of dust-jacket
Dust-jacket infolds
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
