The Ladies' Philosophy of Love: A Poem, in Four Cantos. Written in 1774.

Full calf 8vo, 76pp. A Fair but complete copy: front board hanging by a cord, dampstaining to the lower half of the volume, half-inch loss to the spine ends. Ownership signature of Mary Stearns (relation unknown) in the uppermost right corner of (iii) but nearly chipped away--and an inscription/catch phrase, "-e generous," also clipped at the upper corner of the last page. First two text leaves chipped 1/8-inch down the foredge, narrowly missing the title text; old paper repair to the verso of the title page and closed tear at the center affecting the first 30 or so pages, possibly torn before being bound. Sabin 90855; Evans 32876. Stearns (1753-1826) was a Unitarian minister, born in Leominster and graduated from Harvard. The preface identifies the poem as his response as a young man (over 20 years before publication) to a young woman's observation, "That nothing could be more useful to young Ladies than to know precisely the sentiments of the young Gentlemen concerning them." Suggest