London, J.S. Pratt, 1843. First edition, first impression. Hardback. A very good copy. No other copies located. Collects 38 short stories. Titles include: 'The Bohemian Fortune Teller', 'The Castle of Cleves', 'A Tale of the Sea', 'The Image Man', and 'Sir Roger de Calverley's Ghost'. An excellent opportunity for someone to examine tales that probably haven't previously been studied, some of which are original to this volume. 'Sir Roger de Calverley's Ghost', for example, is a tale that has been told before regarding a ghost in the town of Calverley near Leeds in Yorkshire. The true story is that in 1605 Lord Walter Calverley was pressed to death in order to extract a confession regarding his murdering his children. Subsequent literary works included ghost stories, but the present tale is set a couple of centuries earlier, during the reign of Edward IV and relocates the spirit to that of Roger de Calverley. An interesting angle on the somewhat obscure tale. Hopefully the other 37 tales are of similar interest. 80x130x26mm. Collation: half-title, blank with plate to verso, title page, contents page, 408 pages of text. Owner's stamp to the front pastedown, some edge wear and a few signs of ageing. Owner's inscription. [11932, Hyraxia Books].

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