"How many young persons, of superior understanding, who play and sing, dance and paint, with taste and execution beyond their years, -- are, nevertheless, totally unaquainted with the origin, history, or progress into general use, of the most ordinary articles with which they are surrounded ... To add to the home recreations of such young persons as have not the opportunity of visiting the continent; and to prove to those who have, that seeing is not understanding, and that a mere transient survey of the most attractive scenes, will leave little useful impression on minds not previously prepared is one principal object of the following pages. Most of the leading facts, and the elucidations of many of the most prominent subjects considered, are given, either from the personal observations of the author, or derived from the investigation of friends resident in the places mentioned, or connected with the matters described."--Preface.

Preliminary copper engraved plate hand-coloured.

Most copper engraved plates are with imprints: "Drawn by C. A. Halsted" and "Engraved by H. Cook". All are with additional imprint: "Published by Smith, Elder & Co. Cornhill.".

One wood-engraved plate is with signature: "J. Kirchner" and another: "GFS del." [i.e. G. F. Sargent?]. Wood-engraved t.p. vignette is with signatures: "G. F. S" and "W & F".

All plates are with captions.

MASS copy: Bound in tan morocco-grain embossed cloth with the spine blocked in gold; a.e.g. With yellow glazed endpapers.