A Short View of Legal Bibliography, Containing Some Critical..

1807. Removing Rubbish from the Republic of Letters" Bridgman, Richard W. [c.1761-1820]. A Short View of Legal Bibliography: Containing Some Critical Observations on the Authority of the Reporters and Other Law Writers; Collected from the Best Authorities, And Intended as a Companion to the Author's Reflections on the Study of the Law. To Which is Added, A Plan for Classifying a Public or Private Library. London: Printed for W. Reed, 1807. xviii, 429, [1] pp. Includes one-page publisher advertisement. Octavo (8-1/4" x 4-3/4"). Contemporary calf, rebacked with red gilt lettering piece and blind fillets, gilt institutional name on front board and at foot of spine, front endpaper detached. Rubbing and heavy wear to boards and extremities, front hinge cracked but secure. Light toning to interior, occasional light foxing, light soiling in a few places, early pencil annotations to a few pages, small ink stamp to head of title page. A good copy with an interesting provenance. $300. * Only edition. Arranged alphabetically by author, and containing valuable critical and descriptive bibliographic observations, Bridgman's classic reference remains a valuable work. Bridgman intended this work as a guide with the "double advantage of easing the labors of the rising generation, and of removing rubbish from the republic of letters. It is our duty to do the best we can for our posterity, and not reject the task under the illiberal idea that posterity can do nothing for us" (v). Sweet & Maxwell, A Legal Bibliography of the British Commonwealth 2:42.