GORDON, Jane, Duchess of (1748-1812). [GUILD, James Wyllie, editor]. ~ An Autobiographical Chapter in the Life of Jane, Duchess of Gordon. Glasgow: Privately Printed, 1864.
4to (177 × 202 mm), pp. viii, 19, [1], plus portrait (a mounted original photograph of the portrait by Joshua Reynolds) facsimile signature below. Foxing to prelims, not affecting the photograph. Contemporary roan backed boards, spine lettered in gilt. Rubbed, stain to upper cover, but still very good. Presentation inscription from the editor to William Spens to front free endpaper.
Sole edition, privately printed, of this collection of a group of letters between the famous beauty and literary patron and the Gordon family accountant. Despite Jane Gordon’s early success in society at Edinburgh and London (she was an important early patron of Burns), her estrangement from her husband 1805 brought financial distress. Forced to live in hotel rooms in London she was in constant dispute with her husband over money. These rather pitiful letters, berating her husband for his excesses and pleading for money, were published here for the first time, prefixed by an attractive photographic reproduction of the portrait of the Duchess by Reynolds. OCLC: no US copies.