138 - Fore-Edge painting.- Edwards of Halifax.- Cowper (William) Poems, 2 vol., 10 engraved plates, ink inscriptions, Edwards of Halifax "Etruscan" calf, covers tooled in blind and gilt, speckled and stamped central panel surrounded by black petal and gilt Greek key borders, rebacked, heavy rubbing, gilt wear to covers, g.e., fore-edge paintings by Mary Preston beneath the gilt of London (1), and a country estate scene (2), 8vo, J. Johnson, 1798.

Fore-Edge painting.- Edwards of Halifax.- Cowper (William) Poems, 2 vol., 10 engraved plates, ink inscriptions, Edwards of Halifax "Etruscan" calf, covers tooled in blind and gilt, speckled and stamped central panel surrounded by black petal and gilt Greek key borders, rebacked, heavy rubbing, gilt wear to covers, g.e., fore-edge paintings by Mary Preston beneath the gilt of London (1), and a country estate scene (2), 8vo, J. Johnson, 1798. *** Various ink inscriptions alluding to the provenance. Includes a note to the first free endpaper of vol. 1 reading "Mary Preston. The gift of Harriet, Lady Hesketh, August 8th 1798". Hesketh was known for her long correspondence and letter writing with William Cowper, which formed the basis for his biography. A note in vol. 2 reads "These vols were given by Lady Hesketh the friend of Cowper the Poet to Mrs Preston & given to Georgina Charlotte Talbot, her granddaughter", and another from a Mary Anne Talbot, relative of Georgina, from 1878, slipped in.