The Victorian Chancellors. 1906-1908. 2 volumes. First edition

1906. From the Library of Sir Oswald Richard Arthur Simpkin [1879-1936] Atlay, J[ames] B[eresford], [1860-1912]. The Victorian Chancellors. London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1906-1908. First edition. 2 volumes. With seven portraits. Publisher's cloth, worn with fading to spines, deckle top and fore-edges. Extremities bumped and lightly worn. Hinges cracked, but holding. One-inch gouge to rear cover of volume two. Previous owner's inscription "O.R.A. Simpkin/ from/ G.W. Russell/ 1918" to front free endpaper of volume one. Second previous owner's signatures "O.R.A. Simpkin/ A.P. Whitaker" to front free endpaper of volume two. Interiors clean. A good set with an interesting provenance. $95. * First edition. "Mr. Atlay's book will appeal to many readers. It will appeal to the student of history and political science, for those who have sat upon the Woolsack have left their impress on legislation and upon the development of constitutional government in England; it will appeal to the lover of biography, because it is an excellent example of that branch of literature, and deals with the careers of interesting and noted men; and it will appeal to lawyers, American as well as English, for they will be glad to read the lives of the men whose labors and decisions have done much to mold the development of equity.": S.H.E.F., Harvard Law Review 20 (1906-1907) 249. G[eorge] W[arren] Russell [1854-1937] was a New Zealand politician who served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Public Health in the wartime National government, and was responsible for the New Zealand government's response to the 1918 influenza epidemic. He presented this copy to lawyer Sir Oswald Richard Arthur Simpkin [1879-1936], who worked in Britain's War Trade Intelligence Department during World War I and later in life became the Warden of Winchester. "Mr. Atlay's book will appeal to many readers. It will appeal to the student of history and political science, for those who have sat upon the Woolsack have left their impress on legislation and upon the development of constitutional government in England; it will appeal to the lover of biography, because it is an excellent example of that branch of literature, and deals with the careers of interesting and noted men; and it will appeal to lawyers, American as well as English, for they will be glad to read.