WILKINSON, George Blakiston.

The Working Man's Handbook to South Australia. With Advice to the Farmer, and Detailed Information for the Several Classes of Labourers and Artizans. [Bound with: MELVILLE, Herman. Omoo: a Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas].

London: John Murray, Albermarle Street; Trelawney Saunders, Charing Cross. 1849. 8vo. xii, 110 ; iii-ix, [i], 242 pp, title page of second work not bound in. Contemporary half brown calf over marbled boards, spine with raised bands, gilt rules to compartments, gilt lettered black label, plain endpapers, armorial bookplate of William Edward Armstrong, New Hall to paste down, his ownership inscription reading "W E A MacDonnall" to head of title page of principal work. Folding map towards front of volume. Extremities rubbed, small tear confined to inner margin of map and small tear with loss to upper margin of contents leaf of second work, otherwise very good. From the preface to the first work: "The working man and small capitalist may here see at a glance whether the colony will suit his peculiar circumstances; and, if so, what wages he may expect, and what prospects lie before him." The work includes sections on occupations and trades, including farming and mining. Published the year after Wilkinson's other, more commonly available, work "South Australia. Its Advantages And Its Resources Being A Description Of That Colony ...". The additional leaves of advertisements etc. mentioned by Ferguson never bound in. Omoo, an autobiographical and somewhat sensationalised novel, recounting a sailor's adventures on the South Seas. First published in 1847, the edition bound in here would appear to have been published by George Routledge & Co. and printed by J. Billing of Woking. Ferguson, 5248. Item #18704

Price: £320.00