Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire].

The Two Duchesses – Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire – Family Correspondence of and Relating to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire, Earl of Bristol (Bishop of Derby), The Countess of Bristol, Lord and Lady Byron, The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Augustus Foster Bart, and Others, 1777-1859. Second Edition [Revised] Unique version of the second edition, with a multitude of additional, uncalled-for illustrations (Portraits) and an original engraving of Harper’s Ferry (Virginia).

One Volume bound in two Volumes due to added images (complete set). London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (15 cm x 22 cm). Pagination: Volume I: An extra-illustrated edition, with 96 plates instead of the only 18 plates which were called for according to the inventory pages of the set. Hardcover / Two stunning, privately commissioned, red morocco bindings with five raised bands as well as gilt lettering and ornament to spine, boards and inner pastedown-borders. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. Both Volumes firm and endpapers intact. Interior beautiful and clean with a plethora of illustrations added into this rare second edition with the portraits reflecting personalities touched upon in the letters published by Vere Foster. The often rare portraits of contemporaries to the Duchess of Devonshire and Vere Foster’s father, Sir Augustus Foster, are of significance since many of them are now scarce as well.

In his “Note to the Second Edition”, Vere Foster writes: “I have made only three alterations as follows: 1. I have added to the number of illustrations a portrait of Lady Byron / 2. I have accepted the suggestion of a critic in the “Athenaeum” that the letter of Oct. 29, 1786, in the former edition attributed to Sheridan, is really from Mrs. Sheridan / 3. With regard to the letter on p. 406, attributed to Napoleon, it has been suggested that this letter cannot be genuine, because the style of it is not purely French…..[..] / Some critics have expressed disappointment at the absence of elucidations as to details of family history, but these I have purposely avoided. Vere Foster – March, 1898”.

We are listing here below the illustrations which were called for in this unique set of the Vere Foster Masterpiece on the Two Duchessesand and then separately the illustrations and portraits which were added and make this set uniquely interesting for private and public scholar:

The 18 Portraits included, which were called for, are:

1. Frontispiece: Lady Elizabeth Foster, Afterwards Duchess of Devonshire (from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds)
2. The Two Duchesses (Vignette on page XII)
3. The Earl of Bristol, Bishop of Derry and his daughter, Lady Erne (page 2)
4. Elizabeth (Davers), Countess of Bristol, from a Miniature in the possession of the Marquis of Bristol (page 43)
5. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (from a painting by Thomas Gainsborough) (page 84)
6. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (from a painting by Romney) (page 96)
7. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and Child (from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds) (page 105)
8. Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire (from a painting) (page 132)
9. Louisa (Hervey), Lady Hawkesbury (page 150)
10. Sir Augustus Foster, Bart. – (Portrait of Sir Augustus Foster on page 154)
11. The Earl of Aberdeen (page 185)
12. Finding Moses – Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, in Sixteen Different Positions, Representing the Daughter of Pharaoh and Fifteen of her Attendants (page 278)
13. Lord Hawkesbury (second Earl of Liverpool) (page 317)
14. Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire (from a painting by Sir T.Lawrence) (page 340)
15. The Hon. Mrs. George Lamb (page 373)
16. Lady Albinia Foster [wife of Sir Augustus Foster and mother of Vere Foster] (page 411)
17. Lady Anne Isabella Lady Noel Byron (page 451)
18. Vere Foster (Portrait of Vere Foster after a photograph) (page 466)

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The additional 73 portraits included, which were not called for, are:

1. George II (page 8)
2. Duchess of Devonshire (page 24)
3. Rousseau (page 36)
4. Lord Chesterfield (page 42)
5. Voltaire (page 44)
6. Pitt (page 56)
7. Louis XVI (page 78)
8. Pitt (page 90)
9. Rubens (Copper engraving published by Harrison & Co., Oct. 1, 1794 / (″Murray sculp.”) (page 116)
10. Dante (page 118)
11. Shakespeare (Engraved from the Folio Edition 1624 with Shakespeare’s Facsimile Signature) (page 120)
12. Dr. Choiseul (page 140)
13. Cromwell (page 142)
14. Berthier (page 152)
15. Sheridan (page 156)
16. E. Sieyes (page 158)
17. Friedrich C. von Schiller (page 160)
18. Sir Joseph Banks (page 164)
19. Talleyrand (page 170)
20. Madame de Stael (page 174)
21. Consul Cambaceres (1753-1824) (page 180)
22. Letizia Bonaparte (page 182)
23. Napoleon (page 192)
24. Thomas Jefferson (page 196)
25. Duchess Devonshire (page 200)
26. Jerome Bonaparte (page 206)
27. David Garrick as Abel the Drugger in “The Alchemist” by Ben Jenson (page 208)
28. Sir Walter Scott – From a Bust by Chantrey (page 210)
29. Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield (page 212)
30. William Wilberforce (page 214)
31. John Jervis, Earl of St.Vincent (page 218)
32. Portrait unknown (page 220)
33. Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia (Landscape etching by W.H.Bartlett) (page 226)
34. Lord Nelson (page 232)
35. Pitt (page 236)
36. Portrait of Women with child (unidentified) (page 239)
37. Jean-Charles Pichegru (page 244)
38. Lord Nelson (page 246)
39. Mrs. Sarah Siddons (page 250)
40. George Washington – Portrait after Gilbert Stuart (page 252)
41. John Philip Kemble in the Character of Hamlet – after a painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence (page 262)
42. Right Honorable George Grenville – by Ridley (page 270)
43. Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Abercromby (page 284)
44. Erskine (page 286)
45. George Fox [Founder of Society of Friends] (page 292)
46. William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, Earl Fitzwilliam (page 296)
47. Alexander Hamilton (Stipple Portrait Engraving by Archibald Robertson / Henry Bryan Hall – Printed by William Pate) (page 302)
48. Napoleon (page 304)
49. Portrait unknown (page 308)
50. Marshal Michel Ney (page 312)
51. Lord Castlereagh – Lithograph from Zwickau by Schumann (page 324)
52. Marshal General Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult – Lithograph (page 330)
53. Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire (page 336)
54. Joseph Napoleon (page 344)
55. Napoleon (page 360)
56. George Howard, Earl of Carlisle (page 376)
57. Edmond [sic] Burke (page 378) [Edmund Burke]
58. Robespierre (page 379)
59. Portrait of a Woman – unidentified (page 380)
60. Eugene Beauharnais (page 382)
61. Charles Ferdinand Duc de Berry (page 384)
62. Portrait of a Woman – unidentified (page 386)
63. Pauline Bonaparte (page 386)
64. Marie Louise Bonaparte, Duchess of Parma (page 388)
65. Child-Portrait – unidentified (page 389)
66. Bernadotte, King of Sweden (page 390)
67. André Masséna, 1st Duke of Rivoli, 1st Prince of Essling (page 394)
68. General Bertrand (page 395)
69. Augereau (page 402)
70. The Wellington Statue in Edinburgh – by Steele (page 406)
71. Byron (page 414)
72. Josephine (page 424)
73. Sir Robert Peele, Bart. (page 428)
74. The Marquis de la Fayette (page 430)
75. Duchess Devonshire (page 448)
76. James Buchanan (page 466)
77. Paul François Jean Nicolas, Vicomte de Barras (page 468)
78. Street / Marketscene with Duchess (page 480)

• Keywords: Alexander Hamilton – Portrait · Bindings · Biography – Rare · Catalogue Four – International Art · Devonshire Family History · Duchess of Devonshire · Duchess of Devonshire, Elizabeth (Bess) · Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana (Gee) · English History – Rare · Library & Collection Building · Original Decorative Art – Portrait · Original Portrait · Portraits · Sir Augustus Foster · Sir Augustus Foster Collection · Vere Henry Louis Foster
• Language: English
• Inventory Number: 29987AB