Courtship Choice of Husbands & Wives Slave kneeling 1824 life advice rare book

(Old Books, 19th Century Books, Leather Books, Religion, Christianity, Marriage, Courtship, home management, managing servants, religous slavery).

Religious Courtship or Discourses on the Choice of Husbands & Wives.
Published 1824, London by Thos. Kelley. W. Swift, engraver. 311 pages. Text in English. Illustrated with 5 engraved plates. Engraved frontis [a rare slavery image often not found in other (later?) examples] & half title, plus three further full page steel engravings. 

The rare frontis plate depicts a Black slave kneeling before "his master" when he encounters him in the garden. The engraved title depicts an older married couple talking with their coming of age daughters about the proper selection of a husband. Another plate shows a mother admonishing her daughters in the privacy of her bedroom to only marry a particular type of man [presumably precisely as described within the work]. Fourth engraved plate shows the young woman's male suitor introduced to her father and family, last one a man surreptitiously listening at a house door. 

The fascinating clear visual reference to slavery which precedes the entire work is worthy of deeper investigation on numerous levels. Title page mentions the work also contains advice for servants.

Period 1/2 leather binding, smooth spine, gilt bands, gilt title with bands on contrasting black leather label, marbled covers.

Book is physically almost 200 years old and shows various clear visible signs of handling and time.

Binding is well age worn, bottom half of leather spine chipped away [but happily retaining the original ornamental gilt spine title label], covers still well attached to text block, remains overall attractive as a book.  A very uncommon/ scarce illustrated life advice plate book in the original binding, a rare survival in any condition (and a fascinating one at that). 

Text block paper is gently toned, light to moderate scattered age spotting, several early leaves or signatures are slightly protruding rendering text block slightly shaken, all original sewing still holding and intact, internally still well preserved, tight, sound.

Still attractive on the shelf. Book displays a pleasing and unique age patina and is in nice antiquarian condition, any age flaws easy to overlook or forgive. 

Please review photos for more detail and our best attempt to convey how this almost 200 year old book survives.

Book Measures c. 8 1/2" H x 5 1/2" W.

[B2724].