The Night of Toil, Favell Lee Mortimer — 1st Edition

£99.95

The Night of Toil, Favell Lee Mortimer — 1st Edition

Name: The Night of Toil, Favell Lee Mortimer — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5931
Price: 99.95 GBP
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The Night of Toil; or, A Familiar Account of the Labours of the First Missionaries in the South Sea Islands, Favell Lee Mortimer — 1st Edition

Publication: London, J. Hatchard and Son; John Harris, 1838

Formatting: 12mo, pp. xi, 462.

Condition Report: Good. This copy remains fully intact in its original blind-stamped cloth, though it exhibits the expected external wear of a heavily consulted nineteenth-century volume. The binding is remarkably tight, but the spine ends are noticeably bumped and frayed with minor cloth loss at the head and tail, while the corners show moderate rubbing and softening. The dark cloth boards are lightly scuffed but retain their distinctive blind-tooled design, and the gilt titling to the spine remains perfectly legible, albeit slightly oxidised. The top edge of the text block is distinctly dust-darkened. Internally, the hinges are solid with no splitting. The pages exhibit standard, age-appropriate toning along with scattered foxing, most heavily affecting the preliminary leaves, including the frontispiece and title page, but the text remains uniformly bright and highly readable throughout.

Catalogue Note: This is a scarce true first edition of the work, published anonymously under the moniker "By the Author of the 'Peep of Day'", subsequently identified as the prominent educational and religious writer Favell Lee Mortimer. Surviving copies of the 1838 first edition in their original publisher's cloth are decidedly uncommon on the open market, as these works were heavily handled by their contemporary Victorian readership.

The volume is notably well-illustrated for its period, featuring a striking engraved frontispiece depicting the "Missionaries' House at Matavai", alongside a charming title page vignette after Raphael. Furthermore, the text is supplemented by seven additional internal plates and a folding map.

This copy carries a straightforward, factual provenance in the form of a contemporary neat ink signature, "E. Hesketh," to the front free endpaper.

The Night of Toil offers a vivid, deeply engaging nineteenth-century account of the pioneering Protestant missionaries in the South Sea Islands. Drawing heavily on early missionary journals and letters from Tahiti and the wider Polynesian archipelago, Favell Lee Mortimer constructs a compelling narrative of cultural collision, endurance, and religious zeal. Originally crafted to instruct and inspire young Victorian minds, the work stands today as a fascinating historical artefact, capturing both the realities of early Pacific exploration and the deeply ingrained moral perspectives of Imperial Britain.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Favell Lee Mortimer

Book Publisher: J. Hatchard and Son; John Harris

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: History

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 462

Book Publication Year: 1838

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.