[Alcott, William A.]. The Leisure Hour Book; embracing Sketches in Natural History; Adventures and Incidents of Travel in Foreign Lands; Personal Narratives; Biographical Sketches; And other Subjects Suited to Amuse and Instruct the Reader. Embellished with numerous Engravings. New-York and Boston: C. S. Francis & Co. | Joseph H. Francis, 1844. [6997]
Black cloth stamped in blind, gilt to spine, 4 x 6 1/2 inches, edge-worn, tight. 1849 owner's inscription on ffep. Many wood engravings, "New Zealand Chief" as frontispiece. 334 pp., foxing throughout. Good. Hardcover.
The 1855 edition at WorldCat attributes this to William Andrus Alcott, his name being on the spine of that printing.
"The object of the work is to afford innocent amusement blended with profitable instruction; and it contains a variety of interesting reading, original and selected. There will be found a few biographical sketches of eminent and enterprising men; with narratives of personal adventure. To these have been added scenes and Incidents of foreign travel, which, while they awaken an interest the attention, will enrich the mind with useful information. There will likewise be found some interesting sketches in natural history, to stimulate the curiosity and induce the further pursuit of this study. A selection of poetical extracts have been interspersed; the whole forming an agreeable variety." - Preface.
