A., Ma. Prude: a novel London 1725
[A., Ma.] The prude: a novel. By a young lady. Part III and last. London: printed for J. Roberts, 1725. (4)87 pp. 8vo, disbound. First edition. The concluding portion of a rare and quite unusual novel; the three parts were printed and sold separately, for 1s 6d each, the first in 1724, and the second earlier in 1725. The heroine of this tale is a secret libertine; the mixture of plot and characterization is rather more elaborate and skilful than in much of the fiction of this period. The "young lady" whose initials appear at the end of the dedication to Part I has not been identified; she also published a second work of fiction in 1733, called The Female Politician. The three parts of this work are all very uncommon, and are by no means always found together. The ESTC (on-line, 03/01) records two complete sets (L; ICN), in the former of which Part II is a second edition. There are five locations for the 1724 first edition of Part I alone (CtY, CSmH, NNC, PU, TxHR), along with two copies of a second edition of the same year (CtY, MB). For Part II separately, two copies are listed (PU, MH-H), and for this third part three copies are located (PU, CtY, MH-H). There is also a Dublin reprint of 1725-6 (CLU only). In very good condition, complete with the half-title. McBurney 153b; CBEL II, 990 ("interesting").
£500
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