The Three Trials of William Hone. Hone (William).

The Three Trials of William Hone, for Publishing Three Parodies; viz. The Late John Wilkes's Catechism, The Political Litany, and The Sinecurist's Creed; on Three Ex-Officio Informations, at Guildhall, London, during Three Successive Days, December 18, 19, & 20, 1817; Before Three Special Juries, and Mr. Justice Abbott, on the first Day, and Lord Chief Justice Ellenborough, on the Last Two Days.

8vo. [235 x 145 x 14 mm]. iv, 48, 45, [3], 44, 28 pp. Bound in contemporary blue paper covered boards, rebacked in calf, uncut edges. In a new quarter calf drop-over box, marbled paper sides, lined with felt.
London: printed by & for William Hone, 67 Old Bailey, and sold by all Booksellers, 1818.

The general title has "Price - with the proceeding of the Public Meeting - Four Shillings in Boards". The three trials and "The Proceedings at the Public Meeting" each have a separate title-page, distinguishing them as the fifteenth, thirteenth, eighth and third editions. There is some soiling but it is a decent copy, uncut and in the boards.

There are two ink inscriptions "J. Newman, Alton" and "Robert Busby, Alnwick". A subsequent owner has identified the first as John Henry Newman (1801-1890), the theologian and cardinal, and duly had the volume repaired and housed in a fine box. The signature does resemble that of JHM but he usually included the H. It seems more likely that it belonged to his father, also John. The son of a London grocer he became a banker, but when the bank closed in 1816 he moved to Alton in Hampshire to manage a brewery, and died in 1824. JHN entered Trinity College, Oxford in 1817, and despite gaining a fourth he returned to the University in 1822 as a fellow of Oriel.

Stock no. ebc8276