The Letters and Works of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.

The extensive letters detailing the life of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762). Her husband, Edward Wortley Montagu, was made British ambassador to the Sublime Porte and the second volume of this work concerns her voyage to Ottoman Constantinople between 1716 and 1718. Her account features lively descriptions of Istanbul and inspired many other female travellers to follow in her footsteps. She particularly enjoyed the beauty and hospitality of the Ottoman women she encountered and recorded her experiences in a Turkish bath.

The third volume of this work concerns her period abroad from 1739 until her death. Her marriage had slowly declined, and Lady Mary made for the Mediterranean, visiting Venice, Turin, Florence, Rome, Genoa, Geneva, Avignon, Brescia, and Padua.

Second edition, revised; 3 vols, 8vo (22 x 14.5 cm); 5 portrait plates including 3 frontispieces, with half-title to vol. I, plates slight spotted with some offsetting, otherwise text clean and tight; contemporary half calf, uniform marbling to boards, endpapers, and all edges, gilt spines with gilt contrasting lettering pieces, some light rubbing to corners, a very good handsome set; [4], lxiv, 402; [2], 450; [2], 471pp.