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Marshall, John, Chief Justice of the United States, The Life of George Washington. London: Richard Phillips, 1804.  John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States, The Life of George Washington, Commander in Chief of the American Forces (during the war which established the independence of his country, and first President of The United States. Compiled under the inspection of the Hon. Bushrod Washington, from Original Papers bequeathed to him by his deceased Relative. To which is prefixed, an introduction, containing a compendious view of the colonies planted by the English on the continent of North America). London: Printed for Richard Phillips, No. 71, St. Paul's Church-yard, 1804. By T. Gillet, Salisbury-square. (May 26, 1804). In Five Volumes, complete with all maps and engravings. FIRST EDITION. FINE. Five volumes. xxxvi,579,[1]; viii,633,[3]; viii,570 [i.e. 572]; viii,684; viii,843,[5]pp., plus twelve folding maps and three plates bound in as frontispieces (two folding). One in-text illustration. Newly bound in dark brown morocco by a top bookbinder, 5 raised ridges, titles in gilt, rough-cut pages. Exquisite handmade marble endpapers in matching shades of brown, peacock pattern. A very handsome set, in fine condition. Octavo issue of the British edition which, according to Howes, is the best edition of Marshall's classic biography of Washington. "After the able, accurate and comprehensive work of Chief Justice Marshall, it would be presumptuous to attempt a historical biography of Washington" - ! Jared Sparks. The first American edition and this first British edition contain a history of the colonies in the first volume which was omitted from later editions. Howes calls for ten maps and six plates. This conforms to this copy and the list of maps and plates in the rear of the fifth volume, with one of the "plates" actually an in-text illustration on p.570 of the third volume. A quarto British edition was also produced at the same time. HOWES M317. SABIN 44788. The complete list of maps/engravings includes: 1. Portrait of Washington (frontispiece); 2. Map of the Northern Provinces of the United States (folding); 3. Map of the Southern Provinces of the United States (folding); 4. Mount Vernon, with Washington on horseback (folding); 5. The City of Washington (folding); 6. The Elm Tree under which Knox made his treaty (in-text engraving); 7. A Map of Part of Rhode Island (folding); 8. Plan of the country from Frogs Point to Cotton River (folding); 9. A Plan of New York Island (folding); 10. A map of the country from Raritan River in East Jersey (folding); 11. A map of those parts of Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia (folding); 12. A plan of the Northern part of New Jersey (folding); 13. The siege of Charleston (folding); 14. Boston and its environs (folding); 15. Investment and attack of York in Virginia (folding); 16. The scene of operations of the Northern Army (folding); Sporadic light foxing to a few of the engravings/maps, else surprisingly bright. A few very minor expert archival paper repairs. Slight scuff to one board. Investment quality. Fine.