Amelia; or, The Faithless Briton. An Original American Novel, founded upon recent facts. To which is added, Amelia, or Malevolence Defeated; and, Miss Seward's Monody on Major Andre. Boston: W. Spotswood and C.P. Wayne, 1798.

An early American novel set during the Revolution, the rare first edition in book form, in a contemporary binding. Amelia tells the story of a perfidious British soldier who tricks and abandons his virtuous American lover—leaving death, destruction, and madness in his wake despite the efforts of her loyal father and brother. Scholars have seen in this plot, originally issued serially in the Columbian Magazine following its publication of the text of the Constitution, a metaphor for the importance of a strong federal government. It was reprinted four times in other magazines before appearing in book form, as here, in 1798 from the same printer. Issued alongside it is the fourth edition of English poet Anna Seward's lament for the traitor Major André, who had been briefly engaged to her intimate friend Honora Sneyd. This publication is sometimes found bound with other Spotswood productions. The last copy recorded at auction by RBH is the Hogan copy in 1945. Evans 33290. See Matthew Pethers, "The Early American Novel in Fragments" in New Directions in the History of the Novel (2014).

12mo (171 x 95mm). Engraved frontispiece by James Trenchard, Monody with separate title (frontispiece just shaved at outer edge, toned with some stains, a few small repairs, 2 leaves with portions torn away and about 60 words supplied in facsimile). Contemporary tree calf (rebacked to style).