Thomas Day. The History of Sandford and Merton. Illustrated with 6 engraved plates initialled “S” [which have 2 lines running vertically through]. 203 pages plus 4 pages of adverts; a few small areas of marking at the start and pages evenly toned a little, ink inscription dated 1863 on endpaper. 140 mm x 100 mm [approx. 5 ½” x 4”] Gilt-pictorial decoratively embossed cloth, light wear to extremities else very good, binding firm. Longmans Green & Roberts ‘Shilling Entertaining Library’ First edition thus 1863 Tommy Merton is a rather spoilt young boy, the adored son of a Plantation owner in Jamaica, and used to being waited on by his father’s enslaved workers. His father brought him to England for his education. Harry Sandford is the good natured son of a hard working and honest farmer who lives nearby and the two boys become friends whereby Tom learns to respect people less fortunate than himself. The book merges stories intended to teach kindness to all living creatures into the main narrative, using such subjects as the natural world, tales of historical civilisations and social etiquette. The book was hugely popular for over 80 years.